Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the National Council for Special Education has concluded its review of special needs assistants; if he will publish the final report; the number of special needs assistants the review has removed from schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4162/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is at present carrying out a review of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations in all schools. The purpose of this review is to ensure that all SNA posts meet the criteria governing the allocation of such posts, as outlined in my Department's Circular 07/02.

As part of this review, the NCSE will identify and suppress any surplus posts which do not meet the scheme's criteria - for example, posts that have been retained when a pupil's care needs have diminished or when the pupil has left.

The allocation for any school, and any adjustments to that allocation, depends on a number of factors such as the number of pupils with care/medical needs leaving, the number of new pupils, the changing needs of the pupils and any surplus identified. Furthermore, schools can make applications at any time with the result that the individual situation of any school can change and allocations are not static for a school year in the same way as are, for example, classroom teaching posts. The NCSE is independent in the making and issuing of its decisions relating to SNA allocations. SENOs are communicating the outcome of the review directly to schools as the review progresses.

The NCSE has advised that the review will be completed by end March 2010. I will be glad to advise the Deputy of the outcome of the review once it is complete.

I wish to assure the Deputy that SNA support will continue to be made available to schools which have enrolled pupils who qualify for such support.