Cork schools say they are in 'limbo' over SNA plans

Cork schools and special needs assistants (SNAs) say they are in limbo following the Government’s decision to pause its review of SNA allocations.

Schools had received notice of the review outcomes in recent weeks, and some SNAs were advised that they may be at risk of a loss of hours or their post. Education minister Hildegarde Naughton has now paused the reviews, and said she is engaging with schools, SNAs, and parents, and that no further letters will issue “until these engagements have concluded in the coming weeks”.

Glasheen BNS principal Tim O’Neill said they were told last week that their mainstream allocation of SNAs would be reduced from 10.16 to 6.16, which he said was “a lot to lose in one fell swoop”.

Mr O’Neill told

The Echo

: “These reductions will significantly affect support for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable. We saw the news of the pause on the news, but we haven’t been contacted, and we’re wondering what the nature of this pause means.

“SNAs play a vital role in supporting children’s learning, wellbeing, and participation in school life, and losing these supports risks undermining the inclusive environment the school has worked hard to establish and maintain.” 

Staff “have expressed deep concern at the scale of the proposed cuts and their potential impact across the school”, he said, adding that they are appealing the decision through official channel and calling on families to support its campaign.

There was budgetary provision for an additional 1,600 SNA posts allocated in October’s budget, meaning there should be enough new jobs to offset losses, but without the full information on what posts will be available, SNAs have been left unsure where they will be working.

An SNA in another Cork school, who asked not to be named, said: “We know it’s paused, but we’re wondering how long it’s going to be paused for, we’re not sure if the letters sent out already are paused too. We read about the pause on social media before anyone even told us.

“If they come back and say that a school was going to lose three but is now losing one and a half, that’s still one person losing a full time job and someone else losing half. The kids aren’t gone, they’re still in school, and they’re going to suffer the most.” 

She added: “They’re saying you can be redeployed anywhere within 45km from where you live, but that’s not going to suit everyone, like people who have a child in school. We want to work, we love what we do, and we have livelihoods and bills to pay.

“We have some parents saying the pause is great, but you have to be a bit sceptical when your livelihood is on the table, so we’re telling parents to take it with a pinch of salt – a pause doesn’t mean it’s being reversed.” 

In an email from trade union Fórsa to SNAs, seen by The Echo, they said that the move to pause “is very welcome and will help ease anxieties around the possibility of SNA supports being removed from children”.

They added: 

“An assessment of whether special education is adequately funded must now take place because if 25,000 SNAs is not sufficient to meet the need that has been identified, then the Government needs to look at its investment strategy.”

Sinn Féin TDs for Cork city, Thomas Gould and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, called for full clarity for schools, principals, SNAs, teachers, parents and most importantly children.

Mr Gould said: “What we need is a commitment that these SNA cuts will not happen. These are people’s jobs and children’s futures. It should not always be a fight to access the most basic of supports for children who need them.” 

Mr Ó Laoghaire added: “I am glad the Minister has agreed to pause these cuts but a pause alone isn’t good enough. We don’t want to be back in this place in a few months.”