Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, in light of current staffing shortages in schools, particularly in the greater Dublin area, she has any plans to support the upskilling of long-term SNAs to allow them take up teaching posts without losing any income arising from transferring from long-term SNA contracts to entry-level teacher contracts. [45322/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019 and 0031/2011, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired.

The Department recognises the essential role of the SNA in enabling students with significant cares needs attend school. SNAs make a very valuable contribution to our school communities through the provision of adult support to enable students with significant care needs attend school. They support students with significant care needs to access education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

A dedicated unit, the SNA Workforce Development Unit (SNAWDU) has commenced work on the first SNA Workforce Development Plan (the plan) which will introduce policy developments under the following five broad headings which will bring clarity and direction to the SNA service:

• Pillar 1 – Review and development of the SNA role

• Pillar 2 – Establish a quality assurance framework

• Pillar 3 – Establish a SNA learning & development programme

• Pillar 4 – Support SNA recruitment, retention & diversity

• Pillar 5 – Devise a communications strategy.

The plan is being developed in consultation and collaboration with stakeholders including the SNAs, the school management bodies, the unions, schools, parents, and children, with working groups established under each of the above pillars. Issues such as the role of the SNA along with learning and development for SNAs are being considered by the relevant working groups. The scheduled delivery date for the Plan is September 2025. Updates on progress of the Plan will be made available on the .

The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).

The circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of teaching service and relevant non-teaching service where the teachers satisfy the criteria set out in these circulars. The criteria includes that the relevant non-teaching experience so gained must be demonstrated by the teacher, to the satisfaction of the school authority (including Education and Training Boards as appropriate) and of the Department, to be directly relevant to the requirements of the post to which the teacher has been appointed.

A teacher may apply to have prior service as an SNA recognised for incremental credit purposes but an award of incremental credit cannot be made where the eligibility criteria is not satisfied.