Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of special needs assistants and resource teaching hours in primary schools here; the amount available in the current school year and his plans for these facilities for the next school year starting in September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14816/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that it is necessary to ensure that educational services are delivered within the resources available due to the current fiscal position. I intend to prioritise and support special educational services. However, I cannot re-visit the previous Government's decision to place a cap on the number of posts available under the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme. This number is 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number. It also represents continual increases in the number of SNAs over recent years.

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 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. The NCSE asked schools to submit all applications for SNA support to them by 18th March, 2011 and intend to inform schools of their annual SNA allocation as soon as possible, in advance of the coming school year.

In respect of the allocation of Resource Teaching hours/posts, the total number of Whole time Equivalent (WTE) posts that are being provided for resource teaching/learning support (including under the General Allocation Model) for 2011 is approximately 9,950 WTE posts. By comparison approximately 9,600 WTE posts were provided for 2010. The Deputy will note that this is an increase in the number of WTE posts available for the previous year. Circular 37/2011 provides information to schools regarding the arrangements which are being put in place for the 2011/12 school year for the allocation of Resource Teaching hours for children with assessed special educational needs.