Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of special needs assistants and Montessori schools; her views on correspondence regarding a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9109/16]

Jan 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 Special Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) support to mainstream Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs.

Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.

Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website www.education.ie, sets out my Department's policy in relation to the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme. The Circular explains that SNA support is not provided to pre-school services which operate outside of the primary or special school provision, other than in early intervention classes in recognised primary schools, or special schools, where support is provided for as part of the schools total quantum of SNA support.

The vast majority of supports for childcare, including pre-school education, are provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The principal vehicle for the delivery of pre-school education is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 and provides for early learning in a formal setting to children in the year before they commence primary school.

Questions relating to provision of such services should be addressed my colleague, the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs.