Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list, on a county basis, the numbers of special needs assistants working in schools in the academic year 2009/2010; and the proposed number of SNAs that will be employed in schools, on a county basis, during the new school term, starting from September 2011 onwards. [21820/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The information requested by the Deputy on the number of special needs assistants employed in schools on a county basis is not readily available.

The number of Special Needs Assistants employed nationally from 2007 to 2010 is available in the attached document. The details for each year are the December figures for the year in question. The primary schools information is inclusive of the special schools details.

SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in their class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and/or resource teacher. As a result, the allocation of SNAs in each school can alter from year to year. Some schools may receive an increased allocation, while others may experience a reduction because the allocation of supports are provided in line with the needs of individual schools.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating special needs resources to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers and special needs assistants will continue to be deployed to schools to meet children's needs in line with my Department's policy.

Number of Special Needs Assistants