Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1029. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants that were employed in County Meath in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40531/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1030. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants that were employed in County Westmeath in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [40532/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1031. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants that were employed nationwide in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40533/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1029, 1030 and 1031 together.

The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government.

The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels.

My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021.

This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.

Following Budget 2021, it is expected that a total of 18,000 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts will have been allocated to primary, post primary and special schools by the end of this year..

This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.

The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.

The NCSE publish statistics on SNA allocations to primary, post primary and special schools in tabular form, by county, for each school year, this information is available on their website,www.ncse.ie.

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1032. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be additional special needs assistants hired for the start date in September 2021 for schools in County Meath; if so, the number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40534/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1033. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be additional special needs assistants hired for the start date in September 2021 for schools in County Westmeath; if so, the number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40535/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1034. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional special needs assistants to be recruited nationally for start in September 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40536/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1032, 1033 and 1034 together.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the planning and cordination of education provision for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNA posts.

Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) posts for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by the end of December 2021. This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes and the transition to the new allocation model for the 2021/22 school year.

The Budget 2021 increase to 18,000 SNAs posts represents an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.

The NCSE has published statistical information regarding SNA allocations for all schools which can be accessed on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie or by using the following link www.ncse.ie/statistics.

The employment and recruitment of SNAs is a matter for each school and the Department is not directly involved.

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1035. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of instances in which schools were not approved for SNA support in County Meath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40547/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1036. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of instances in which schools were not approved for SNA support in County Westmeath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40548/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1035 and 1036 together.

The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels.

My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021.

This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.

Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional SNAs for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by December 2021.

This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year.

This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.

The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.

The NCSE publish statistics on SNA allocations to primary, post primary and special schools in tabular form, by county and by school, for each school year, this information is available on their website, www.ncse.ie.

As this question relates to the statistics on the allocation of SNA support, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply.

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1037. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools that were given approval for SNA support in County Meath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40549/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1038. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools that were given approval for SNA support in County Westmeath in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40550/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1039. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools given approval for SNA support in each county in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [40551/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1037 to 1039, inclusive, together.

The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels.

My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021.

This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.

Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional SNAs for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by December 2021.a

This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year.

This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.

The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.

The NCSE publish statistics on SNA allocations to primary, post primary and special schools in tabular form, by county and by school, for each school year, this information is available on their website, www.ncse.ie.

As this question relates to the statistics on the allocation of SNA support, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply.