Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support the need for special needs assistants and to provide all children with a disability the maximum support in 2011 especially with their educational needs. [5124/11]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will end the cap on special needs assistants and if he will provide all children with a disability the maximum support in 2011. [5099/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 89 together.

The Programme for Government clearly states that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. To that end, we will endeavour to protect frontline services in education.

However, the fiscal position is difficult and it is necessary to ensure that educational services are delivered within the resources available. I intend to prioritise and support special educational services. However, I do not intend to re-visit the previous Government's decision to place a cap on the number of whole time equivalent Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts in schools. This number is 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts. To put this number in context, there were 10,543 wte posts in place at the end of 2010, 10,342 at end 2009; 10,442 at end 2008 and 9,824 at end 2007. In addition, there are some 60 child care workers in schools.

It is considered that with equitable and careful management and distribution of these resources that there should be sufficient posts to provide access to SNA support for all children who require such care support to attend school, in accordance with Departmental criteria.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. My Department and I will be glad to consider any suggestions from school management or parent representative organisations as to how the allocation of SNA resources can best be managed within the context of the overall limit on SNA numbers established. In this regard I am committed to making whatever improvements are possible to the resource allocation system.

The NCSE has issued a circular to all schools advising of the allocation process for the 2011/2012 school year. A key feature of the amended scheme will be to provide for an annual allocation of Special Needs Assistant support to eligible schools.