Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

I want to raise the inexplicable decision to cut SNA hours at Firhouse Educate Together National School. The school is already struggling to cope, with only eight SNAs catering for more than 90 children with additional needs. One parent wrote to me to tell me that her son started in the autism unit and with the amazing support of his teachers and SNAs was able to transition to a mainstream class and is proof of how early intervention and the correct support can help a child to integrate with his mainstream peers. She said the school needs an increase in SNA hours to give every child equal access to education as a basic human right, yet the Department is proposing to cut the SNA hours needed for inclusion and mainstream classes.

I raised yesterday how the Government is simultaneously trying to push children with mild general learning disabilities out of special schools and into mainstream education, which creates a need for more rather than fewer SNAs. This makes no sense. Will the Government consider it and ensure that SNA support is increased rather than decreased?

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