Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a special needs assistant, SNA, and appropriate learning supports will be made available to a child (details supplied) with special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27871/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including SNA support.

The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at: www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed.

Responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools to support individual pupils rests with the NCSE.

I am advised that the child to which the Deputy refers has an allocation of Low Incidence Teaching hours support and access to SNA support in the school to which she is enrolled.

Where a school wishes to appeal the SNA or resource teaching support allocation which has been made to them, they may do so through the NCSE appeal process, details of which are set out at www.ncse.ie. The option to invoke the NCSE appeals process is open to the school in question.

The local SENO is available to discuss any concerns that the school or parents may have about the present or future educational needs of the child. All schools have the contact details of their local SENO. Contact details are also available on the NCSE website at: www.ncse.ie.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements in place to cover periods in schools where a special needs assistant, SNA, may not be available due to illness; his views on whether the absence of the SNA is not a health and safety issue and one that affects the special needs pupil adversely and therefore one that needs to be addressed urgently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27900/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Special Needs Assistants (SNA) may be employed by recognised schools or Education and Training Boards.

The provision of SNA support is made through an independent process managed by the National Council for Special Education.

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

The purpose of the Special Needs Assistant 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.

Provision for substitute cover is made by my Department in all instances where an SNA is unable to perform his/her duties because of illness or injury.