Written answers

Thursday, 7 May 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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179. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a request for a special needs assistant in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17911/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. Where children have significant care needs whereby they may need additional support to be able to attend school, the NCSE may make an allocation of SNA support to the school to assist that child.

The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.

The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

All schools have been asked to apply to the NCSE for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March, 2015.

The NCSE will consider all applications for SNA support which have been made by schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy. Schools will be advised of their revised SNA allocations for the 2015/16 school year, prior to the end of the current school year.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

As the Deputy's question relates to the consideration of an the SNA allocation by the NCSE to an individual, I have referred this question to the NCSE for their consideration and direct reply to the Deputy.

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