Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 577: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if a qualified and practising special needs assistant, currently working within a Department recognised school but who is not in possession of any formal Irish language qualifications is eligible for the award of a formal contract prior to the attainment of the appropriate qualifications, or while undertaking a course of study to attain such qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27771/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The criteria for appointment of Special Needs Assistants are set out in Department Circulars 05/2001 and SNA 03/03. These Circulars specify that the minimum requirement necessary for appointment is an award of Grade D (or pass) in Irish, English and Mathematics in the Intermediate Certificate/Junior Certificate or Day Vocational Certificate Examination or in an examination of equivalent standard. In this context, a qualification of equivalent standard is any qualification at Level 3 or higher of National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) established by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), provided that the qualification, or a combination of such qualifications, certifies to the achievement of a minimum of a pass in the subjects Irish, English and Mathematics.

Boards of Management of schools are the employers of all staff, including SNAs, employed in schools. State funding of any SNA position is granted on the basis of agreed recruitment policies and guidelines being adhered to by Boards of Management and these being applied in a fair and consistent manner in all cases. The minimum educational standard required for these positions is based on the needs of the SNA post generally across all schools and it is not open to schools to deviate from this standard in individual cases.