Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I am going to pick up where Deputy Cummins left off. We have a serious communication problem. Three principals contacted me in the past week about the new allocation of SNAs fundamentally changing. That belief exists. I realise Mr. Hanlon has said the information will be sent to us but the communication needs to go to the schools primarily. What is occurring is seen as another way of limiting access to SNAs.

I heard what has been said today about perception not being reality, but I have three examples indicating there is going to be a deadline on reviews, that being 24 October. The officials have said today that if there are changes to a school’s circumstances, there will be the opportunity to review them, but the perception is that reviews can take place only within the limited timeframe, from 12 September to 24 October. The delegates will see that when they tell us the number of reviews went up from 450 to 1,440 between 2023 to 2024, it would seem like a cynical move on the on the part of the NCSE to then limit access to those reviews. This needs to be clarified.

My second point is on the streamlining of SNA allocation. The officials have said clearly today that the baseline allocation, according to the existing circular, is not changing and that there is still one full-time teacher and two SNAs, but again, the perception among teachers and principals is that this is changing. That is very serious.

Then third point is that the roles and responsibilities of the SNAs are being narrowed. The conversation we had here earlier implied the traditional role of the SNA was limited to the physical care needs of students, but that does not reflect what SNAs actually do. To revert to the very narrow description of SNAs goes against the first discussion we had, which was on the need to value the true contribution of SNAs in schools. Therefore, we and schools need clarity on these issues and others as soon as possible.

I waited nearly three months for a response to a parliamentary question. I asked the question on 29 May and got a response in late August. Senator Nelson Murray’s experience of reviews for the particular school is my experience of many schools in Dublin West. We have invested in special education and SNAs. Let us not tell a story or limit that investment. It represents a good return and it is very much needed for school communities across the board.