Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2025
284. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is concerned that the new SNA review process guidelines for 2025-26 published by the NCSE contain a requirement to evidence use of the RELATE framework which is not realistic for schools to demonstrate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52634/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is important that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) review all aspects of support in schools to ensure that schools have the right supports in place. The NCSE incorporate a multi-tiered appraisal of student need, school deployment of existing SNA allocation and school practice during a SNA allocation review.
The NCSE Relate programme launched in February 2025 is a comprehensive resource to support school staff to understand and reframe behaviour. Training with hundreds of schools nationwide has been undertaken and the NCSE has provided a number of resources in which schools can engage which are available on their website, ncse.ie/relate. It is also open to schools to contact the NCSE in relation to any training need and arrange training.
The NCSE welcomes all documentation a school wishes to submit as part of its review process and will include all available information that a school chooses to submit. Ultimately, where additional SNA resources are necessary to support the needs of students in a school, this will be provided as it has been in previous years.
In addition. following the outcome of the review, the NCSE can make a local special educational needs organiser (SENO) available to the school to discuss their current deployment of SNA supports in the school and to put these supports to the best advantage of the students. NCSE in-school support is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.
