Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have now been reviewed by the National Council for Special Education; when the review of special needs assistants will be complete; the number of special needs assistants that have been withdrawn to date at primary and post primary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33588/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has published its report on the Review of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) Allocation to Schools April 2009-March 2010 on its website www.ncse.ie.

The NSCE has since carried out a number of further reviews of SNA allocation of schools, bringing the total number of schools reviewed as at September 2010 to 3,058. Of this number, 2,363 were primary schools, 588 post-primary schools and 107 were special schools.

Of 2,363 primary schools reviewed 1,261 schools had no change in their SNA level, 704 had a decrease in SNA level, and 398 schools had an increase in their SNA level.

Of 588 primary schools reviewed 304 schools had no change in their SNA level, 158 had a decrease in SNA level, and 126 schools had an increase in their SNA level.

Of 107 special schools reviewed 57 schools had no change in their SNA level, 29 had a decrease in SNA level, and 21 schools had an increase in their SNA level.

There are currently in excess of 10,000 SNAs in schools compared with just 300 in 1997.

SNA posts may be reduced in schools, on review, where the pupils for whom SNA posts were originally allocated had left the school or because the pupils' care needs had diminished over time.

However, I wish to emphasise that the criteria governing the allocation of SNA posts has not changed, and that SNA posts continue to be retained, and new posts sanctioned, where the care needs of pupils meet the criteria for the scheme.

The full updated report will be published by the NCSE shortly on its website www.ncse.ie.

A small number of schools remain to be reviewed and the NCSE has indicated that these will be reviewed early in the 2010/11 academic year.

I wish to confirm for the Deputy that my Department is very supportive of the SNA scheme. It has been a key factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes. The SNA scheme will continue to be supported and the NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers and resources will continue to be allocated to schools to meet children's needs in line with my Department's policy.