Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for their evidence. Something I find strange from an educational perspective is commencing a course without formal accreditation being sorted in advance. Any learner entering a course should know the level of accreditation. I am entirely in agreement with the witnesses on many of their concerns and I hope this matter is expedited. I share the concerns of colleagues regarding the treatment of SNAs. No SNA deserves to be mistreated. The witnesses heard the discussion earlier. I believe the overwhelming majority of schools treat their SNAs with respect. To refer to my earlier question, there should be a specific focus on the special educational needs of the child or young person. If possible, will the witnesses quantify the proportion of schools they believe may not treat SNAs with respect? Are there very specific concerns they have about the way they are treated by certain schools that they hope will be addressed in the contractual negotiations?