Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 268: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost to the State of each additional special needs assistant that is provided. [18694/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that there are a number of factors in determining rates of pay of Special Needs Assistants such as length of working day and number of years service, for example. The applicable payscales for Special Needs Assistants are available on my Department's website, www.education.ie.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 269: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the allocation of special needs assistants that will be allocated to a school (details suppplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18701/11]

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.

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 are currently in the process of informing schools of their annual SNA allocation for the coming school year.