Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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572. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to support the children identified in the audiology misdiagnosis in counties Roscommon and Mayo within the education system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42491/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In September 2018, it was agreed between my Department and the HSE, that where children identified by the HSE Audiology Review have a special educational need arising from their hearing impairment, my Department would provide support, in line with its various schemes. Supports provided would be based on children's individual needs, irrespective of the cause of those needs.

Where supports under my Department’s various schemes were refused due to ineligibility, funding has in certain cases been provided by the HSE. As acknowledged at the time, this led to some delays in the provision of supports. Therefore, in conjunction with the HSE, my Department reviewed the procedures involved where the schools of children identified by this review wish to apply for supports, in order to establish if there was a more efficient way of making provision.

On foot of this review, and as an exceptional measure, the provision of certain special educational needs supports outside the terms of my Department’s schemes was approved. In July 2020, the parents and the schools involved were informed of this.

Where the school wishes to apply for assistive technology for these pupils, it should do so in the usual way, i.e. by submitting the relevant application form to the local SENO or Visiting Teacher. Applications received will be reviewed as a matter of priority, and the SENO will provide my Department with a recommendation as early as possible.

Where the SENO recommends that the application meets the criteria, funding will be provided to the school through the assistive technology scheme, as normal.

Where the application does not meet the criteria however, and it is established that the equipment in question has not already been funded either by my Department or the HSE, then funding may be provided by my Department, outside of the terms of the scheme.

The equipment for which funding may be provided is as follows:

- Laptops

- Tablet computers

- Soundfield systems

- Radio Aids

The schools in question were advised that if they had previously applied for equipment under the Assistive Technology scheme, had the application refused and if the equipment was not subsequently funded by the HSE, the school should write directly to the Special Education Section of my Department, with a copy of the refusal letter, and request a review of the previously refused application.

The schools should only submit applications where the specific equipment is recommended in a professional report and the school’s view is that it is essential for the pupil’s education.

Funding for chair silencers (or “Chair Sox”) is not provided under any of my Department’s schemes. If silencers are required however, and have not been separately funded by the HSE, then the school may apply to my Department for funding towards their purchase. The application for funding can be made in writing, and a quotation should be attached to same.  

I wish to again confirm to the Deputy the assurances which have previously been made in respect of additional teaching support.  Since the introduction of the Special Education Teaching allocation model in 2017, it is open to these schools to engage with my Department on the level of support required for these pupils.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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573. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional SNAs that have been hired to date in 2021. [42516/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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574. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional SNAs that were hired for the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic year. [42517/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 574 together.

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

When a school has been allocated an SNA, the Board of Management, as the employer, is responsible for filling the vacancy and the decision on whether to employ a full time SNA to fill a full time post or to employ an equivalent number of part time SNAs rests with the employer.

The NCSE have confirmed that the number of additional SNA posts allocated to date in 2021 comes to 814.84 posts. Of these 84.72 related to the 2020/2021 school year.

In respect of the 2021/22 school year the NCSE have confirmed that to date, 730.12 additional SNA posts have been allocated to schools. This brings the total allocation to 17847.14 SNAs.