Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider making more special needs assistant internships available to alleviate the pressures being felt by teachers and students in classrooms (details supplied). [41575/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There is no scheme administered by my Department offering internships for Special Needs Assistants.

Job Bridge is a scheme operated and funded by the Department of Social Protection. Recognised schools and Education and Training Boards may choose to participate in the scheme if they wish. Circular 46/2011 (National Internship scheme) sets out the scheme as it applies in schools.

An intern may be employed under the Job Bridge scheme in any type of role within the school but they cannot fill a vacant post or displace an existing employee. The maximum number of internships a school or ETB can offer at any one time is set by my Department and is dependent on their number of full time employees:

1-10 employees: 1 Place; 11-20 employees: 2 Places; 21-30 employees: 3 Places; 30 + employees: 20% of your workforce to a maximum of 200 internships, whichever is the smaller.