Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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448. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a place in a local secondary school will be available for a child (details supplied) who requires a place in a mainstream school with SNA support; the steps being taken to ensure that this child has a place in a local secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2677/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department’s main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.

Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the student should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some student not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

In accordance with the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, schools are required to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. It is an important feature of the act that schools can only make a decision on an application for admission that is based on the school’s admission policy.

TUSLA’s Education Support Service (TESS) which is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. TESS can be contacted at 01-7718500. For ease of reference, I have provided you with a link to the relevant phone numbers for the Education Welfare Officers who are part of TESS assigned to various areas around the country. See: www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/local-area-offices

The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). The department does not have a role in making individual school determinations and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required.

SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

SNAs are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the children enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides 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.

Detailed information on the NCSE SNA Review process is published on the NCSE website, ncse.ie/.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, and the SENO is available to offer assistance and advice to the school. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.