Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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397. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the average pay per hour worked for SNAs working in primary schools and in post-primary schools, respectively; and the number of hours worked over the course of one school year by SNAs in primary schools and in post-primary schools, respectively [5839/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Boards of Management of schools are the direct employers of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). My Department provides Paymaster support to schools.

SNAs can be contracted to work up to a maximum of 39 hours per week and are usually contracted to work for a school year which begins on 1^stSeptember and finishes the following 31^stAugust. As such, SNAs are paid on the basis of an annual salary scale, as opposed to an hourly rate of pay. The salary scale applicable to SNAs is determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Increments are awarded after each year of satisfactory service in an approved post as an SNA in a recognised school. The current salary scales for SNAs are set out in DE Circular 0055/2021.

In some cases, where a contacted SNA is absent from school, a substitute will be employed to cover the absence. That substitute is paid an hourly rate of pay which is €15.03 if they were appointed after 1^stJanuary 2011.