AQW 11960/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 15/05/2024
Answered On Date: 24/05/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether he will provide additional funding to the Education Authority to increase staffing levels in the Special Educational Needs Link Officer role.

Answer:

As stated in the response to AQW 11957/22-27, the Education Authority have already increased the number of Special Educational Needs Link Officers since 2021 and are currently in the process of recruiting additional Link Officers.

The Executive agreed departments’ opening 2024-25 budgets at the end of April and I am currently finalising my Department’s 2024-25 budget strategy. The Department’s Arms’ Length Bodies, including the EA, will be notified of their 2024-25 final opening allocations in due course.