Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
201. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently address the severe cuts in SNAs across multiple schools in Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10968/26]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision and care support for children and young people with special educational needs in our schools, including the allocation of special needs assistant (SNA) support to schools.
Reflecting the central role SNAs play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools the department has been steadily building the level of SNA support in our education system. By the end of the 2026/27 school year there will be close to 25,000 SNAs in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.
The number of SNAs in county Kerry has risen from 616 in 2020/21 to 861 this year, an increase of 40% in this time period. They play a key role in supporting children and young people with special educational needs as part of a whole school approach which also includes almost 22,000 special educational teachers across the country.
There are many reasons why the level of need for SNA support in schools may fluctuate including falling enrolments, reduced or increased care needs and changing demographics as children move from primary to post-primary schools.
The NCSE reviews of SNA allocation in schools across the country are a very detailed examination of the care needs in all settings within the continuum of provision in a school so as to ensure that SNAs are allocated to schools to support students who have the greatest level of significant care needs. Where an NCSE review identifies a decrease in the level of care need in a school and where this decrease is significant, it results in a reduction in the SNA allocation to that school. Schools that are not satisfied with the outcome of their SNA review may avail of the NCSE’s internal appeal mechanism. Furthermore, where a school is not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal on the basis that they consider the process was not followed, the school can refer the matter to the independently chaired Appeals Advisory Committee (AAC). Further information on these processes is available from the NCSE website: www.ncse.ie.
While the NCSE allocation and review processes are essential to ensure SNA support is provided where it is most needed, the department is mindful of the impact of a reduction in allocation on SNAs personally. This is among the reasons the department is working with the NCSE to develop an SNA redeployment scheme. This important policy initiative which is in the final stages of development will ensure that as far as possible, competent, knowledgeable, and experienced SNAs are retained in our schools.
The SNA redeployment scheme is being implemented for the 2025/26 school year, providing an opportunity for redeployment of SNAs as the need arises for the start of the 2026/27 school year. It is important to note that SNAs in surplus posts identified through the NCSE’s SNA Review process will remain in the relevant school for the rest of the 2025/26 academic year. Assuming no change to SNA allocations in the meantime, eligible SNAs in standard posts (both full-time and part-time) who opt for redeployment may be redeployed to a new post in September 2026.
Updates and final details of the SNA Redeployment Scheme, including a circular and comprehensive guidelines, will be published on the NCSE website and the SNA Information Hub on www.gov.ie as work progresses.
The 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.
