Cap on Special Needs Assistants a travesty – Crowe

Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Education Seán Crowe has called on Labour
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn not to implement the
proposed cap on Special Needs Assistants.

Describing the cap as ‘a travesty’ Deputy Crowe said that pupils should be
allocated Special Needs Assistants based on educational need alone.

Deputy Crowe said:

“It is not acceptable that children with special needs would go without the
appropriate support to see them through their education. Leaving children
without these supports is a travesty.

“Pupils should be allocated Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) based on
educational need alone.

“SNAs are not overpaid, quite the opposite, they receive just a little more
than the minimum wage – less than €12 an hour. Money can be saved
elsewhere. This is about priorities and looking after the educational
prospects of our most vulnerable children must be made a priority.

“The SNA cut is a nightmare for schools but an even bigger nightmare for
families of children with special needs.

“I am asking the new Minister for Education and Skills to make a stand for
children with Special Educational Needs. I welcome his commitment to review
the arbitrary deadline for the awarding of SNAs. This deadline makes no
sense to schools considering that there is no way of knowing how many new
entrants have special needs and how many newly diagnosed children there
will be.

The Minister must ensure that children with Special Educational Needs have
access to an SNA based on educational need alone and not on how many SNAs
the Government is willing to pay.”