Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Having worked as a special needs assistant for a few years, I know at first-hand how hard SNAs work and the major benefits they provide in the education system. They and the families of the students they assist deserve better treatment than they are currently receiving. As Fianna Fáil's spokesperson on disability, I work closely with SNAs and the families of the students they assist. Right across my constituency of Cork South-West, families are looking for SNAs for their children. Others are looking for extra hours, and some are still waiting for assessments to see if they can receive the help of an SNA. I thank the Rural Independent Group for introducing the motion. I am a little surprised that greater mention was not made of the comprehensive review of the special needs assistance scheme.

As someone with a personal interest in this area, it is important to me that children with special needs and their assistants are treated fairly. It is important that the policy put in place by Fianna Fáil in 1998 is made available without hesitation to every child with special needs and, more important, that schools are confident in the system. I pay tribute to my party leader, Deputy Micheál Martin, for the significant contribution he made to special education when he was Minister for Education and Science. Without him, there would be no special needs assistants and the House would not be discussing them this evening.

It is imperative that the Minister has the power to compel a school to make additional classes available where needed. However, it is also imperative that the needs of the child are recognised as being of paramount importance.

The NCSE proposals for a greater range of supports to be offered via special needs assistants make absolute sense.

They have a unique relationship with the child and it stands to reason that their intervention would benefit the child. However, additional training is needed to equip the SNAs in this regard. I plead with the Minister to treat our SNAs with more respect and give them the training they need. They are all very bright people and there is more in them. They can give more to the educational system if they are allowed.

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