Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount that has been spent on the provision of special needs assistants in each of the past five years. [28552/11]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants employed in schools in each of the past five years. [28603/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Minister, Department of Education and Skills; Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 148 together.

The Deputy will be aware of this Government's commitment to special education provision at a time when savings are being required across a range of expenditure areas, which will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to have access to educational facilities in line with their requirements. Some 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for 2011. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies may be filled up to this number. The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table.

Special Needs Assistants

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of saving to the Exchequer in 2011 from cuts in the provision of special needs assistants. [28553/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Minister, Department of Education and Skills; Dublin South East, Labour)
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Approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department – some €1.3 billion – will be spent in support of children with Special Educational Needs this year. This provision is in line with expenditure in 2010 and shows that despite the current economic difficulties, funding for special education has not been cut. The continued commitment of this Government to special education provision, at a time when savings are being required across a range of expenditure areas, will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to have access to educational facilities in line with their requirements. Some 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for 2011. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies may be filled up to this number. There were 10,543 WTE SNA posts in place at the end of 2010. It is therefore not estimated that there will be savings in relation to the Special Needs Assistant scheme in 2011.