Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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159. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he expects to be in a position to meet the full requirement in respect of special needs assistants in the current and future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18538/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that funding for special education provision in 2016 will amount to some €1.5 billion, which is equivalent to over 17% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training. It has increased by 10% in the past two years.

The investment which is being made to support children with special educational needs is an area of spending which has been prioritised above most other areas by this Government.

This investment includes provision for the highest level of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support that we have ever had. I recently announced that from September next, 12,900 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) will be available for allocation to primary and secondary schools, at a total gross annual cost of €425 million. This is 860 more posts, or a 7% increase, in the number of posts over which were available last year. In total the number of SNA posts available has increased by almost 22% from 10575 posts available in 2011. The provision which is being made ensures that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.

Funding for the provision of special educational needs supports for future years will be considered annually, as part of the annual estimates process, however, I can confirm that this Government will continue to ensure that the supports required to ensure that all children with special educational needs can continute to participate in education will be provided.