Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government promises to look at the whole issue of special needs education. There seems to be significant delay on the part of the Department of Education and Skills and the National Council for Special Education in allocating special needs assistants, SNAs, for next year. Already schools and parents are concerned that they do not know what is happening.

I hope some announcement will occur that there will be more investment in special needs assistants in the coming year. If there is, it will come with a sour taste, however, because schools are off, boards of management are not operating and teachers are not at school, meaning people do not know what is happening with the sector. Special needs assistants are worried about their jobs and parents are worried about their children. It is about a month later than last year, but this is causing huge confusion throughout the education system. Will the Taoiseach give the parents, the SNAs and schools any comfort on this matter?

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