Ann Graves (Dublin Fingal East, Sinn Fein)
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554. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when an SNA is under a temporary and fixed term contract, and is actively looking for a permanent role, the reason they can only be placed on a panel when they have a permanent role. [62110/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The number of SNA posts allocated to a school in any individual school year is a matter for the Special Educational Needs Officer (SENO) and that function resides within the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

As the number of standard SNA posts is determined by the specific needs of each individual school population, and as these needs may vary from year to year due to changes in student enrolment and the evolving requirements of students, arising from factors such as treatment interventions and supports external to the school environment, it is not possible to guarantee that a standard post will be available for every SNA currently in position.

To address the issue of casualisation of employment amongst SNAs, where a school/ETB has an additional allocation of standard SNA hours/posts (e.g. an additional allocation of standard SNA hours/posts or an SNA has left the employment) then that additional allocation of hours/posts must be offered to any existing part-time SNAs in standard SNA posts in that school, in order of seniority, before the employer has recourse to these arrangements.

This means that before an employer opts to recruit further persons as SNAs, they must ensure that all existing part-time SNAs in standard posts in their employment, in order of seniority, have been offered a full-time position in the school or, in the case of ETBs, a full-time position in a school within the ETB scheme.

The purpose of the SNA Supplementary Assignment arrangements is to facilitate eligible SNAs who are being made redundant by one employer in filling SNA vacancies that may become available in another school / ETB.

The Supplementary Assignment Panel allows eligible SNAs who are being made redundant in one school to be considered for SNA vacancies that arise in other schools. It ensures that experienced SNAs in standard posts are supported in continuing their employment when their current post is surplus to the needs of the school they were initially employed in.

Circular 43/2025 (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/circulars/recruitment-of-special-needs-assistants-snas-supplementary-assignment-arrangements-for-the-20252026-school-year/) outlines comprehensive details and appropriate steps required to be implemented by schools. The circular defines a standard SNA post as a post which is part of the NCSE quantum of SNA support to a school. It also clarifies that a substitute or cover SNA post means where a substitute or cover SNA is appointed on a temporary basis to cover a vacancy when an SNA in a standard post is on an approved leave of absence such as: maternity leave, sick leave, career break, job-sharing etc. SNAs employed on a temporary basis, as defined are not eligible for inclusion on the Supplementary Assignment Panel. For inclusion on the Supplementary Assignment Panel, a SNA must have a minimum of one year’s continuous service in a standard SNA post.

It should be noted that my Department is currently developing a Workforce Development Plan for Special Needs Assistants. As part of this initiative, a new SNA Redeployment Scheme is being designed to facilitate the transfer of eligible SNAs from schools with staffing levels above their approved allocation to schools with identified SNA vacancies.