Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) will be losing a special needs assistant for the 2017-18 school year; if this decision can be reviewed in view of the fact that the school has been sanctioned SNA access for an additional four children since its last SNA allocation was made; his views on whether this level of allocation is sufficient to ensure the children who require assistance receive an appropriate level of support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35210/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I recently announced that an additional 975 SNA posts 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 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, including the school in question. Details of SNA allocations which have been made to schools, have been published by the NCSE on their website at .

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.

The level of SNA support allocated to all schools can change from year to year, as students with care needs leave the school, as new students with care needs enrol, or as students develop more independent living skills as they get older and their care needs diminish over time. 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.

In circumstances where a school, or parent, is unhappy with the allocation of SNA support which has been made, or if it is considered that the level of support allocated is not sufficient to meet the care needs of the pupils concerned, the school or parent, may appeal the decision via the NCSE appeals process. Details of the NCSE appeals process are available at www.ncse.ie.