http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARngJ1lxCbE

Sinn Féin TD joins Dáil protesters seeking reversal of SNA cuts

  Speaking last night in the Dáil in support of a motion opposing cuts to
  Special Needs Assistants, Sinn Féin’s Education Spokesperson Seán Crowe
  said the government must reverse the cuts that have impacted on children
  with learning and behavioural difficulties.

  He continued: “The government must recognise that the loss of Special
  Needs Assistants in schools across this State is having a devastating
  impact on children who have special education and behavioural needs as
  well as on their families, who are struggling to cope, and on
  over-burdened teachers with responsibility for their learning.

  “Cutting SNAs is an unacceptable way of saving a relatively small amount
  of money and it is an unethical policy. It is also simply not good
  enough that the Minister justifies the cap on SNAs by blaming his
  predecessors in government as he is in a position to honour Labour’s
  pre-election commitments to protect special education services.

  “Today I will join people outside the Dáil who are demanding that the
  government reverses the cuts to SNAs. It is nothing short of perverse
  that at a time when the SNAs are being capped, it was revealed just this
  week that the final bill for the recent visits of the English Queen and
  President Obama amounted to an eye watering €36 million, almost twice as
  high as what was budgeted for!

  “Such excessive spending cannot be justified no more than can the
  spending of over €100,000 on taxis fares and €130,000 on fine art at the
  Waterford Institute of Technology. The parents of a child with special
  needs would be justified in believing the government’s budget and
  spending priorities are exceptionally perverse and beyond comprehension.

  “In the face of these figures it is high time that this government got
  its priorities right and ensured that it is the right of all children,
  regardless of their social and economic background, to receive a proper
  education. This cannot happen if essential cuts to SNAs continue be a
  central tenant of government policy.

  “There are also growing fears that sharing special needs teaching hours
  amongst a rising number of pupils, combined with a reduction in support
  in resource teaching, is having the greatest impact on some of the most
  vulnerable sections of our community.

  “The rights of children with special needs to obtain their educational
  needs must be a priority for this government yet to date their track
  record on this matter has been quite appalling.”