Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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189. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional SNAs will be made available to a school (details supplied) following a review done in June that stated that the number of SNAs available does not meet the demand from the pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56056/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs, including the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs).

Schools were issued with their SNA allocation by the NCSE for the 2025/26 school year in June 2025. The NCSE issues guidance each year to schools regarding SNA reviews and the guidance for 2025/26 school year issued on the 12 September 2025. The SNA allocation review window outlined in these guidelines, from 15 September 2025 to 24 October 2025, is now open and relates to schools who believe they do not have sufficient SNAs to support their care needs at present.

In addition, a school can apply to the NCSE at any time during the school year, as in previous years, for a review where emerging or new care needs arise. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's . Each case is individually assessed and is based on the student profile of each school.

Following the outcome of the review, the NCSE can make a local special educational needs organiser (SENO) available to the school to discuss their deployment of SNA supports in the school and to put these supports to the best advantage of the students. The NCSE in-school support service is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.