Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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39. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the SNA allocation for moderate general learning disability classes could be reviewed in order that the allocation is on par with ASD classes, given the complex medical needs in these classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37977/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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42. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to respond to reports of children with a diagnosis of autism who, in their autism report, it is stated that they need SNA support, and it is recommended by the SENO, in some cases, and then it is being denied by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37985/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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43. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department plans to review SNA allocation criteria to include the sensory and emotional regulation needs of children with autism which is crucial to their learning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37988/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 42 and 43 together.

This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.

I know the central role that our special needs assistants (SNAs) play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

That is why the number of SNAs available for allocation has continued to increase annually resulting in more SNAs than ever now being employed in our schools. Budget 2025 provided for 1,600 SNAs, the largest number ever allocated in a single year, meaning the total number of SNAs available in our schools in September will be 23,179. This is more than double the number of SNAs that were in our schools 10 years ago.

As the Deputy knows, it is the role of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to manage the allocations of SNAs across the country and to ensure that all of the additional SNAs provided for by this Government are allocated to schools to support those children with the highest level of need so they get the highest level of support.

The NCSE also now has a full complement of staffing so have the resources and supports to ensure they can do their work effectively and in a timely manner.

It is important that we continue to meet this need across our education system and as you know the Programme for Government commits to recruitment of additional SNAs to provide greater support to students and schools. We will continue to engage through the estimates process to ensure that we can meet the needs of all children in our schools.

It is open to any school which feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students to submit to the NCSE a request seeking a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website.

The Special Education Teaching (SET) Allocation Model introduced in 2017 was intended to form the basis of an SNA front loading model, however this has not been possible. The data which informs how learning needs can be met through the SET Allocation Model is not suitable to indicate the care needs of children in a school, using it would lead to SNA resources being incorrectly deployed.

In the last two years, the NCSE has been working with schools to address additional care needs that arise by means of the exceptional review process. This process involves detailed analysis of the care needs in individual schools and ensures that the correct resources are applied to children who need them. At present, this process is the best approach to assist schools in supporting vital care needs.

Work will continue until a successful model is ready to introduce. Further work is being undertaken as highlighted above in tandem with the review of SET, which will support our thinking as how best SNA resources can also be managed. It is important that any allocation process is based on care needs rather than educational ability. My department is fully committed to establishing an SNA model of allocation that is fully cognisant of matching SNA resources with the care needs of those children who require this support.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.