Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the pupil-SNA ratio to 2:1 at both primary and secondary level. [42657/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are a key part of the support framework for the inclusion of children with special educational needs in education. By the end of this year, there will be over 18,000 SNA posts in the education system.

SNAs work across the full continuum of education from mainstream classes through to the more specialist settings, special classes and special schools.

In respect of mainstream classes, SNAs are allocated on the basis of whole school care need and are not allocated on any pre-determined ratio.  Schools have discretion have in how the available resource is deployed within the school. The Department does not collect information on the number of children receiving support.

In respect of special classes and special schools, there are predetermined ratios for the allocation of SNAs.  Most classes will have an allocation of two SNAs for every six students but this can vary.

In order to provide 1:2 SNA:pupils ratio in all special class and special school settings, an additional 2,373 SNAs would be required at a cost of €68.4m in a full year.