The Department of Education has temporarily suspended its review of SNA allocations.
The decision follows complaints from schools and parents who said the number of available posts had been reduced, reports Breaking News.
The review faced backlash after the National Council for Special Education (NSCE) wrote to some schools indicating that their SNA allocations would be cut.
However, the Department argues that the process will still deliver an overall increase of 1,700 SNAs in the coming academic year, reports Breaking News.
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Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton said the review is being paused as she engages with stakeholders to make sure their concerns are properly understood.
In a statement, Naughton said: “SNAs play a critical role in our schools – I know how much they mean to school communities, parents and the children they support. I have listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities in recent days. I want to reiterate that there are no cuts to SNA numbers. I want to ensure that SNAs are with the children who most need their care. To that end, I am pausing the review of the SNA allocations. I, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach are engaging intensively to ensure that all of the concerns raised are really understood and children with special educational needs are fully supported. No further letters on SNA review outcomes will issue until these engagements have concluded in the coming weeks,” reports Breaking News.
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