Letters sent by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), advising almost 200 schools that their special needs assistant (SNA) allocations were being reduced, were “wrong”, Minister of State Michael Moynihan has said.
Moynihan, who has responsibility for special education, said communications issued by the body, which is charged with reviewing allocations, were “poor”.
“Clearly, we need a far better system, the communications was wrong,” he said.
A controversial review of SNA allocations was paused earlier this week following criticism from teachers, parents and unions.
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Two-thirds of the 584 schools reviewed before the pause are set to retain or increase the number of SNA posts but 194 were informed of planned reductions. Some schools reported they would lose four or five positions.
The NCSE has been contacted for comment.
“We have to make sure that we are engaging properly with those [school] communities,” Moynihan said, speaking on RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland.
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Asked if schools will still lose SNAs in September, Moynihan said that until the process was reviewed, “we will not be scaremongering”.
“We will engage meticulously with all school communities and the families that have contacted us until the review has taken place.”
The Minister would not be drawn on a time frame for when schools will be told of their allocations for the next school year, saying clarity will be brought to them “as soon as is possible”.
“It will be done properly. It will be done in a way that the school communities, the families and everybody has faith in the process and understand every decision that has been made,” he said.
“We need a number of weeks to make sure that SNAs are in school communities and that they’re serving the needs of children within those communities.”
Asked if schools that were already advised of cuts will still lose SNAs, the Minister said each individual school will be reviewed to make sure there is “no cliff edge”.
“Whatever communication that was heretofore, there will be new communication over the next number of weeks,” he said.
He said schools that were previously advised they would be receiving extra SNAs have “clearly demonstrated that there’s a need within their school community”.
Labour TD Eoghan Kenny called on the Government to provide “immediate clarity to schools”, saying Moynihan’s remarks on Friday morning had only “deepened uncertainty”.
“He could not tell schools whether they will lose SNAs or what the time frame is for decisions that will directly impact children with additional needs,” he said.
“The promise of a meticulous review of the reviews raises more questions than answers. What does that actually mean for a school principal trying to plan supports for September, or for an SNA worried about redeployment?
“This looks like an attempt to buy time and take the heat out of this scandal,” the party’s education spokesman said.
