Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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320. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the increase or decrease in the number of special needs assistants employed in the State since 2011. [3647/16]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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321. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the increase or decrease in the number of special needs assistants employed in County Meath from 2011 to the present. [3648/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 320 and 321 together.

Arising from the economic downturn, the number of SNAs available for allocation was capped in September 2011 at 10,575. In December 2013, this cap was revised to 10,745 posts and was revised again in December 2014 to 10,965 posts.

In Budget 2015, a further 365 SNA posts were provided to the end of 2015, bringing the total number of SNA posts to 11,330. This was again increased by 610 posts in July 2015 bringing the total number of posts available to the NCSE for allocation for the current school year to 11,940.

Budget 2016 provided an additional 100 posts to meet additional demand arising from January to June 2016, bringing the total number of SNAs available for allocation to the end of this school year to 12,040.

This is the highest level of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support than ever before, which will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.

Information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of Special Needs Assistants allocated in Co Meath from 2012/13 school year to date is available at. I have arranged for NCSE to provide information in respect of the 2011/12 school year directly to the Deputy.