Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be changes in 2021 to SNA allocations; her views on whether it has been an extremely difficult year for all those working in education; if a commitment will be given to clarify and provide information in relation to SNA allocations for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6145/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge it has been a challenging year for those working in education and also those pupils with complex needs who have experienced the impact of school closures and the cessation of in-person teaching and learning in a very considerable way.   

I appreciate and recognise the significant efforts schools are making to provide effective remote teaching and learning for these pupils. 

A core recommendation of the National Council for Special Education’s (NCSE) Review of the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme concerned a change in the way that SNAs are allocated to mainstream classes in both primary and post primary schools and called for the greater proportion of SNAs in these classes to be allocated on the basis of an educational profile of each school before the commencement of the school year in a similar manner to the allocation of special education teachers (SETs).

The frontloaded allocation model is intended to ensure that SNA posts are in schools and available immediately to students upon their arrival, reducing delays in accessing support. It eliminates the need for individual applications and professional assessments in order to access resources, moving to a needs-based model of support and ending the requirement for parents to secure a formal diagnosis to gain access to resources. 

With the frontloaded model of SNA allocation, schools will have discretion, greater autonomy and greater flexibility on how their SNA allocation is deployed to meet the needs of students with additional care needs. However, there is no change in SNA duties.

In recommending the frontloaded model the NCSE recommended that the SET allocations, based on school profiles, provides the strongest predictor of the level of care needs in a school to base the frontloaded allocations for mainstream SNA allocations.

It had been planned that the frontloaded model of allocation for SNAs would be rolled out to all schools from the commencement of the 2020/21 school year. 

However, due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 and the closure of school buildings in March 2020. It was decided that the introduction of the model would be deferred for one year i.e. to the start of the 2021/22 school year.  This will allow time for the necessary planning and training for schools.

As an interim step, SNA allocations were frozen at their current levels for 2020/21 with provision for additionality where necessary. Department Circular 30/2020 sets out the arrangements for SNA allocations for the 2020/21 school year.

Schools were advised in the first instance to review and reprioritise deployment of all SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources on the basis that those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support.

Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014. SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.

Work is ongoing in relation to national rollout of the frontloaded model for the 2021/22 school year.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet with an association (details supplied); the engagement she has had with the group since the start of 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6160/21]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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118. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when she will meet with an association (details supplied) further to a commitment by the Taoiseach on 14 January 2021 in reply to a question by Deputy Noel Grealish that she would do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6242/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 118 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that I was in contact by phone with a representative of the group, as well as the principal on the 14th January and I have asked my office to make appropriate arrangements  to arrange a virtual meeting with the Association.