Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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447. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the special educational needs organiser post in County Offaly as this post has been vacant since August 2021; and when a special educational needs organiser will be reinstated. [8093/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Department does not manage the recruitment of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs). As the SENOs are employees of the NCSE, it is the NCSE who is responsible for the recruitment and operational management of the SENOs.

Accordingly, I am referring your question to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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448. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of her engagements regarding the review of the first national training programme for special needs assistants; the expected timeframe for this review; when consideration will take place in relation to accreditation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8147/22]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the expected timeframe for conclusion of the Workplace Relations Commission on raising the minimum qualification for appointment as a special needs assistant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8148/22]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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450. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of her engagements in relation to raising the minimum qualification for appointment as a special needs assistant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8149/22]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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451. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of her engagements in relation to accrediting special needs assistants regardless of having completed a training programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8150/22]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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453. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the review of the entry qualifications for special needs assistants will take place. [8152/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 to 451, inclusive, and 453 together.

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life. This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme (SNAs) published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018.

The Review made a number of recommendations regarding SNAs including the training needs of SNAs. In this regard, the NCSE recommended that a new national training programme at Level 5 of the National Qualification Framework be developed for existing SNAs who do not have the requisite level of training and for new SNAs on appointment. The NCSE also recommended that training tailored to the complex needs of some students would also be provided.

The policy advice has been considered by my Department. It was decided that priority would be given to the development of a training programme for SNAs who may not have had a recent opportunity to access a training programme tailored to their role.

The first national training programme for SNAs is now in place and it aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and expertise of SNAs whose work is central to the inclusion of students with additional care and complex needs in school life. The programme is fully funded by my Department and delivered at no cost to the SNA.

As this is the first programme, it is appropriate to take the time to review outcomes and this will inform the future approach to ongoing training and professional development of SNAs. Part of that consideration will include accreditation.

Raising the minimum qualification for appointment as a special needs assistant has been raised by the FORSA union and has been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission. My Department is engaging in that process.

The recruitment and appointment of Special Needs Assistants is a matter for each individual school authority. In addition, the actual requirements for a post will vary depending on the specific needs of the children and the school to which the SNA is to be appointed. My Department does not believe that the existing minimum qualifications has impacted on the calibre of person appointed and it is also the case that people with experience and/or higher qualifications than the minimum are often the successful candidate in competitions held by schools.

However, having considered the claim and, in particular, the period of time since they were set, my Department is open to reviewing the position. My Department has also agreed to a review of the SNA contract which was agreed as part of the Building Momentum national pay agreement. My Department is of the view that the forthcoming review of the SNA contract should be carried out and implemented first.

I am satisfied that the approach outlined fully recognises the important place of SNAs in our schools. The forthcoming review of the SNA contract along with the new training programme for SNAs that is now in place will help to enhance the experience of children with special needs in our schools.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the agreed review of the special needs assistant contract as part of the Building Momentum national pay agreement will take place. [8151/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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A review of the existing SNA contract is one of the commitments agreed under the Building Momentum National Agreement. There has been informal engagement with education partners on the issue and my Department is currently considering the most appropriate approach to the review, with a view to agreeing an approach in Q2 of this year. It remains the aim to have the review completed by the end of the year.