Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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284. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to amend Circular 0030/2014 so that children with high functioning autism can receive more assistance under the special needs assistants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21178/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs assistants (SNA) supports. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in making recommendations for support.

I recently announced that from September next 12,900 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) will be available for allocation to primary and secondary schools, which 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 10,575 posts, available in 2011. About 69% of all students with ASD access SNA support.

The criteria for the provision of SNA support are set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

The Circular states that the purpose of the SNA scheme is to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs.

The scheme provides for the allocation of a quantum of SNA support to schools, taking into account the assessed care needs of individual children with disabilities, or severe medical needs. The scheme is not limited only to children who have been assessed as having specified categories of disability.

DES Circular 30/2014 provides that SNA support may be allocated, where necessary, to provide pupils with assistance with severe communication difficulties, including enabling curriculum access for pupils with physical disabilities or sensory needs and those with significant social and emotional difficulties.

Schools may therefore make applications for SNA support to the NCSE for children who have assessed significant care needs which fulfil such criteria.

Schools who wish to make applications for SNA support should apply to the NCSE.

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

At my request the NCSE have commenced a comprehensive assessment of the SNA scheme in order to provide better outcomes for students with special needs and to ensure that we are making the best additional investment for children with special educational needs.