Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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224. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if special needs assistants will be urgently provided to a special school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56059/25]

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).

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 website. 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.

Following engagement from my department and NCSE the school has confirmed that it will now be fully open from Monday 13 October. The school undertook to inform the parents of this decision on Friday last.

The department and the NCSE will continue to engage with and support the school referred to by the Deputy to ensure that they can meet the needs of all the children in the school. The NCSE are on site visiting the school this week.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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225. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider broadening SNA eligibility in order that children with neurodevelopmental conditions like dyspraxia and dyslexia can receive SNA support for organisation, sensory regulation, safe participation, and access to learning; if she can provide an update regarding the efforts to ensure such children are receiving appropriate and timely supports in educational settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56082/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their 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 SNA posts available for allocation has continued to increase annually resulting in more SNAs than ever now being employed in our schools. Budget 2026 provides for an additional 1,700 SNA posts, the largest number ever allocated in a single year, meaning the total number of SNAs available in our schools next year will be close to 25,000.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocation of SNA posts to schools and in this capacity has reviewed and notified school allocations for the 2025/26 school year based on the care needs of the enrolled students.

If a school believes it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website. The NCSE provides support through the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) who is available to discuss deployment of SNA support. The NCSE's in-school support service is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support. Further information is available on the NCSE website.

The purpose of the SNA service is defined in circular 0030/2014 and explains that SNA support is provided specifically to recognised primary, post-primary and special schools to support students with significant care needs in an educational context. The role and responsibilities of SNAs have not changed since the publication of this circular.

My department is currently developing a SNA workforce development plan which will bring further clarity and direction to the SNA service. The plan which is being developed in consultation and collaboration with education stakeholders including existing SNAs, school management bodies, parents and children is scheduled for delivery later in 2025.