Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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199. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants required to meet projected demographic increases over the next five years; the estimated cost of providing an additional 100 SNAs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17770/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Government Economic & Evaluation Service (IGEES) published a Focused Policy Assessment (FPA) of Data on Special Needs Assistants in August 2016.

This is available at: www.education.ie/en/Publications/Value-For-Money-Reviews/.

This FPA forms part of my Department’s commitment to the Public Spending Code (PSC) and evidence informed policy making.

One of the objectives of the FPA was to identify what is required to develop the forecasting capacity of the Department and the NCSE in order to anticipate the level of demand and cost of future SNA requirements and that the provision of this data would be aligned with the planning needs of my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the NCSE with specific reference to the annual budgetary process.

Through analysing growth in metrics, such as the age profile of students accessing SNA supports, the growth in the numbers of students accessing SNAs as a proportion of the primary and post-primary education, and levels of enrolment in special classes, the FPA estimated that future demand of the number of additional SNAs likely to be required to 2019 will be in the order of between 1,300 and 5,400 posts, which is estimated to cost between €47m and €183m. The report noted, however, that this is an indicative estimate and that it is unrealistic to assume that the report can predict exactly the quantum of future student demand of SNAs.

The cost of providing an additional 100 SNA posts would be in the region of €3.38 million based on current costs.

In total, the number of SNAs available for allocation to schools to June 2017 is 13,015 posts, which represents an increase of almost 23% or 2440 posts since 2011/12, when 10,575 posts were available. Last year alone I secured an increase of almost 1000 SNAs.  

The extent of funding required to provide for SNA support in future years will therefore take into account the actual demand which transpires annually, while also taking into account the significant increases in SNA numbers already provided.

The FPA report recommended that the NCSE provide an End of Year Statement of Demand and a forecast of future demand in mid-April each year, with an updated forecast by mid-June to take account of trends arising during the current year’s application process.

The SNA demand for 2017/18 school year will be known when this process has been completed.