Written answers

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Photo of Seán KyneSeán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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228. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, due to Circular 22/2012, there is an obligation on special needs assistants to take a career break if undertaking a distance or online course in education or other subject areas, including a postgraduate diploma in education, formerly the HDip; and if so, the reasons for same stipulation in view of the hardship that it places on SNAs attempting to upskill. [27335/14]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities, in an educational context. They may be appointed to a special school or a mainstream national school to assist school authorities in making suitable provision for a pupil or pupils with special care needs arising from a disability. The first priority is that the care needs of the children are met on an ongoing basis during the school year.

In June 2012, my Department, in conjunction with the School Management Bodies and the relevant Trade Unions, agreed a Career Break Scheme for Special Needs Assistants in Recognised Primary and Post-Primary Schools, the provisions for which are contained in Circular Letter 22/2012. The purpose of the scheme is to enable employers, wherever possible, to facilitate applicants to take time off to engage in, among other things, personal development and education (including teacher training). This scheme therefore is applicable for courses referred to by the Deputy where participants are required to attend teaching practice and be absent from the provision of care duties for significant periods of time during the school year.

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