John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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160. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the location of special needs assistants, in view of his recent announcement to increase numbers by 975, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33314/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy has noted, I recently announced that 975 additional SNAs will be available for allocation to schools from September 2017 which is a 7.5% increase to meet the demands for the new school year.

A total of 13,990 SNA posts will now be available at a gross annual cost of €458 million. This is more SNAs than we have ever had previously and will ensure that all children who qualify for SNA support can continue to receive access to such support.

In total, the number of SNAs available has increased by over 32% since 2011, when 10,575 posts were available.

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.

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. 

The NCSE has advised all schools of their allocations for SNA support for the coming 2017/18 school year.  Details of SNA allocations which have been made to schools are available on a county by county and individual school basis, on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.