Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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371. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of recruited SNAs, SETs and teachers, respectively, since budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7344/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.

In 2023 the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.

For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

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

The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.

It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

The school can apply to the NCSE for a review of its SNA allocation if it is insufficient to meet the needs of its students.

When a school has been allocated an SNA, an SET or a teaching post the Board of Management, as the employer, is responsible for filling the vacancy. The information requested in relation to recruitment numbers at school level is not available as the filling of vacancies is a matter for the employer.

In relation to teacher supply, the Deputy will be aware, that my Department is continuing to engage closely with school management bodies, teacher unions and other education stakeholders to develop a range of further, innovative measures to improve the availability of teachers.

Specifically in relation to SNAs, there is no evidence available to my Department that schools are having any difficulties in recruiting or retaining SNA staff, including for short-term vacancies such as sick leave and/or maternity leave.