Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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51. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is intended to review and change the method by which SNAs are allocated to primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44793/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the deputy for the question.

As a government, special education is a key priority which has been underpinned by more than a quarter of the entire education budget.

Budget 2025 has provided for 1,600 additional special needs assistant (SNA) posts to support students in both mainstream and special education settings.

To the greatest extent possible, students with special educational needs are supported in mainstream education settings with additional supports such as SNAs provided.

Special Needs Assistants (SNA) play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream education, special classes and special schools ensuring that these students can access education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

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

Presently there are almost 22,000 SNA’s allocated to mainstream and special classes along with Special Schools.

This represents an increase of approximately 113% since 2011 when the SNA figure was 10,320.

While all schools are allocated SNA’s based on the care needs of its pupil population, there may occur exceptional circumstances where a school may have insufficient SNA resources to support the care needs of its pupil cohort in mainstream classes.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has streamlined the review process for Special Needs Assistants.

If a school believes that they have insufficient resources to meet the care needs of their students they should make contact with the local SENO who will support them in applying for a review.

The revised SNA review process, schools no longer need to submit SNA timetables. Schools complete one form (School Care Needs Record Form which is based on the Continuum of Support) which contains all information required on the school care needs profile and on the tasks which SNAs carry out.

The NCSE have recruited additional special education needs organisers (SENOs), advisors and team managers. The total number of SENOs has increased from 65 to 120. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas and are currently visiting schools nationwide to conduct planning meetings. These visits will be key in terms of forward planning for the 2025/26 school year.

The NCSE manages the review process and handles each case individually. The review process is a detailed investigation of the care needs of the children and young people in the relevant school so as to ensure that the existing resources are being utilised appropriately and that any deficit in primary care needs support is identified and addressed.

The NCSE in-school support is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.

The department is fully committed to establishing an SNA model that is fully cognisant of matching SNA resources with the care needs of those children who require this support. It is important that any allocation process is based on care needs rather than educational ability.

Work is continuing on developing an SNA model that will accurately reflect and is responsive to the care needs of pupils.