Thirty-six additional special needs assistants have been announced for Galway schools in September 2019.
This will bring the number of SNAs in the county to 864.
Nationwide, 800 new SNA posts will be allocated to schools as part of a total €1.9 billion investment in special educational needs.
Minister Ciaran Cannon welcomed the announcement by his colleague Minister McHugh and said the new allocation of 800 SNAs mean there will be a total of up to 15,950 special needs assistants working in schools by the end of 2019.
“This is a 51% increase on the number of SNAs who were working in schools in 2011, when the figure stood at 10,575.
“The Government will invest almost €560million in SNAs this year, as part of a total €1.9 billion investment in special educational needs.
“More children with special educational needs than ever before are participating in school which would not be possible without the unprecedented support of this Government and our education system is increasingly better equipped to support children with special needs and support their full participation and progression,” said the Galway East TD.
