Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)

I wish to discuss the NCSE’s new guideline review. In the last three days, my office has been inundated with emails and the telephone lines have been choked by calls from concerned parents, principals and SNAs. The guidelines have actually sowed confusion among the school community and among parents. As a parent myself, I consider it a huge privilege to be able to give my son the best education and to meet his needs how and where possible so when I get concerns from other parents, SNAs, teachers and principals on the education they will be able to give their children and pupils and their concerns about meeting the needs of the pupils and their sons and daughters, I am sure the Minister of State will agree, it is a huge concern to us all. I accept that very often, circulars and guidelines can be misread, misconstrued or interpreted in one way or another. I am here asking for clarity about these guidelines. The query, first and foremost, we have received is whether this will result in job insecurity for SNAs. Will the care for those daughters and sons who are currently receiving it be diminished in any sense? Is there a risk that their child in the school setting will no longer receive care? There are indications in people’s interpretation of these guidelines that the criteria will be stricter and it will be harder to access an SNA. That is hugely concerning for any parent. I would welcome any clarity on the issue.

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