Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2025
360. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if there is a cap on special needs assistants for 2025 and 2026; what that cap is, and if it is being reviewed in light of increased demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13599/25]
View answer361. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the number of SNA posts funded in Budget 2025; the level of support this will provide in the planned new special classes and special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13600/25]
View answer368. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education following the recent communication from the National Council for Special Education regarding the cap on special needs assistants, which has led to several schools (details supplied) having their SNA review applications placed in limbo, why certain schools have been informed of increases in their SNA allocations, while others, despite going through the same review process, are left without support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13675/25]
View answer369. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education what steps the Department is taking to address the issue of certain schools’ SNA applications being placed in limbo and to ensure that schools receive the necessary SNA support to meet the needs of students with additional needs, especially in light of the time and resources schools have already invested in the review process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13676/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 360, 361, 368 and 369 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. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.
SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
SNAs are allocated to schools as a school-based resource and not to individual pupils. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the children enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
The NCSE has published the SNA allocations for the 2024/25 school year. For ease of reference these allocations are broken down by school type and are available on the NCSE's website.
We have been steadily building on the number of SNAs in our education system. At the end of the 2024 school year there was over 22,000 SNAs in schools Since 2020 the budget for special education has increased from €1.9 billion to €2.9 billion for 2025. That represents a 52% increase in the last 5 years.
Budget 2025 includes an additional 1,600 special needs assistant (SNA) posts nationwide. This is the highest ever annual increase. For the 2025/26 school year there will be over 23,000 SNA’s supporting children and young people with care needs in our education system.
The NCSE will continue this year to prioritise the full allocation of the additional 1,600 SNAs to schools, including to support up to 400 new special classes and 300 new special school places for this September from within the overall allocation budget.
The NCSE will ensure that all of the additional SNAs provided for by this Government will be allocated to ensure that those children with the highest level of need get the highest level of 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.
