This government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Special needs assistants (SNAs) play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website (www.ncse.ie/sna-review-mainstream). Each case is individually assessed and is based on the student profile of each school.
The NCSE is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs including SNAs.
My department does not have a role in the SNA allocation or SNA review process for individual schools.
It is the responsibility of the NCSE to ensure that these resources are allocated to the children with the greatest level of need across all schools.
The NCSE in carrying out this role takes a child centred focus and approach to ensure that all children in our schools with special education care needs are provided with a supportive environment and the resources needed to help them develop and be prepared for life after school.
As the matters raised in the question relate to NCSE operations and processes I am forwarding this question to the NCSE for their direct reply.
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.
