Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a good opportunity to clarify the matter. IMPACT’s decision to ballot its members on industrial action at this time is surprising in light of a development over recent months. When I announced the appointment of an additional 975 SNAs for allocation to schools between September and December this year, I recognised that we needed a better system for allocation in future years. At the time I said that I hoped to have a more robust system using the National Council for Special Education prediction models to inform the normal estimates allocation.

As a Government we have managed to achieve that. As part of a package of education measures in the recent budget, I announced that almost 1,100 additional SNA posts will be available for allocation to schools in 2018, more than 960 of which will be allocated from September 2018. Under the old model, this decision would have been made in mid-2018. Making that decision now will facilitate earlier allocations of SNAs to schools for the coming year.

There have been very substantial year-on-year increases in SNA posts in recent years. The most recent budget announcement will bring the number of posts to more than 15,000, an increase of 43% since 2011. Mechanisms have been introduced under the Haddington Road Agreement that give SNAs greater stability in their employment and these continue to operate under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020. A comprehensive review of the SNA scheme, currently being undertaken by the NCSE, includes IMPACT as part of the consultation process.

It is disappointing in light of these developments that industrial action is being contemplated which would have a detrimental effect on children with special educational needs who depend on the care support provided by SNAs in order that they can participate in education.

While a decision on industrial action is a matter for IMPACT, the union is a party to the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, which contains clauses on industrial harmony. The union will be aware of commitments and potential implications in that context.

See this speech in context