John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 112: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants employed by schools in counties Carlow and Kilkenny; if he will provide the list of these schools; the number of SNAs that will lose their jobs or will be cut; the schools at which they are currently employed; the number of appeals to retain the SNA he has received; the time frame for a decision in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20676/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The information requested by the Deputy on the number of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) employed by schools in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny is not readily available.

Firstly, I wish to clarify for the Deputy that SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. SNA allocations are not permanent as 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 or where a child's care needs may have diminished over time. The allocation of SNAs in each school can therefore alter from year to year. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating 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.