Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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813. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review a decision to refuse incremental credit to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45371/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The criteria required to have incremental credit awarded to qualified Special Needs Assistants (SNA) is set out in Circular 0139/2006 and was agreed with the unions representing the Special Needs Assistants, School Management Representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education.

To qualify for an award of incremental credit an SNA and their prior work experience being claimed must satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in the relevant circular. An award of incremental credit cannot be made where the eligibility criteria is not satisfied.

Regarding the SNA to which you refer, their prior service did not meet the eligibility terms of the circular. Under the terms of Circular 139/2006, Section 4.3 states that work undertaken in the service of a private employer does not reckon for incremental credit purposes. Also, section 4.4 states the former employer must certify that the service was remunerated under a whole-time contract of employment or from 20 December 2001 – a regular part time contract.

As the applicant did not demonstrate that they met the criteria outlined above their application was refused.