Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the current review into special needs assistants and when a special education needs organiser recommends the removal of an SNA from a child, the extent to which the same SENO can be involved in any appeal process. [19160/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 52 together.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. 10,575 whole time equivalent posts are being provided for the coming school year. To manage this limited resource, 475 of these posts will be retained for allocation over the coming school year to address significant emergency cases; new entrants with special needs; or new assessments or injuries acquired during the school year.

The NCSE will advise schools early in the new school year of a review process to review allocation decisions to ensure that correct procedures were followed and that they comply with my Department's policy. The merits of individual allocation decisions will not be open to appeal under this mechanism. It will be expected that schools, before requesting a review, will be in a position to demonstrate that they have made every effort to manage their allocation of SNA posts to best effect.