Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Special needs education should be close to all of our hearts. Children were due to start in a wonderful school, Scoil Aonghusa, on 16 September. Siobhan Lyons is a parent who is very concerned that her son Ryan has not been able to start school due to problems organising special needs assistants, SNAs. It is pointless having classrooms and extra pupils when no extra SNAs have been provided. The school has a wonderful board of management, parents and council. The situation is farcical. Bridget Duggan, another parent, contacted me to say she received a letter stating the school had been given no extra allocation of SNAs to meet the increase in numbers. The principal of the school, Siobhan Keyes-Ryan, wrote to the parents involved. She is trying to do her best to resolve the matter. The school is not getting SNAs on time. Special education needs organisers are doing their best but do not have funding. It is not fair or right that children with special needs should be subjected to this kind of unfair and discriminatory treatment. Where is the Constitution and the promise to cherish all our children equally? The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, needs to deal with this issue. Scoil Chormaic and Scoil Aonghusa are wonderful institutions but they need support.

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