Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason only 16 hours of SNA support have been awarded in the case of a person (details supplied); if the decision will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15014/17]

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 allocating special educational needs supports to schools, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support.  The NCSE allocates SNA support 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.  In making allocations to schools, the NCSE takes into account the assessed individual needs of all children with identified needs in the school.  It should be noted that SNA allocations are not made to individual children, but are made to schools to support the care needs of children with assessed special educational needs in the school.  In making allocations to schools, the NCSE takes into account the assessed individual needs of all children with identified needs in the school.  The NCSE has an Information booklet for parents in relation to the SNA scheme on its website: www.ncse.ie.

The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management.  SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.  It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

The NCSE has informed my Department that a full care needs review was carried out by the SENO in the school to which the Deputy refers on 2 March.  The outcome of the review is that the school’s allocation of SNA support has been increased by 0.5 post to assist the school to provide for the care needs of the particular child referred to and the other qualifying children in the school.

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

My Department encourages parents and school authorities to engage locally regarding pupils' education.  Should a parent be dissatisfied with the manner in which the SNA support has been provided to support their child’s education they should raise the matter directly with the school Principal or the Board of Management of the school.  Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available onwww.ncse.ie.