Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a special needs assistant in respect of a person (details supplied). [15981/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that 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. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts.

It is important to understand in relation to the SNA allocation process that SNA allocations are not permanent. The level of SNA support allocated to a school may be increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. The NCSE has advised my Department that the pupil referred to by the Deputy has access to SNA support on a shared basis. The NCSE has also confirmed that it considers that the allocation of SNA support to the school is sufficient to meet the care needs of all of the pupils requiring such care support in the school.

Where SNA support is provided on a shared basis this means that SNA support is available to the student as required, to cater for the pupils' care needs each day. In such instances there will generally not be a set number of hours allocated in respect of each pupil. Rather, it is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie. The NCSE have advised that they been in contact with the parents of the pupil referred to by the Deputy in relation to this matter and that they are available to discuss the matter further with them, if required.