THE GOVERNMENT IS pausing the controversial review into how Special Needs Assistants are allocated after major backlash.

More than 40,000 people have signed a petition to stop the loss of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts after it emerged that hundreds of roles in mainstream primary schools could be cut from next September.

Trade union Fórsa said it has been contacted by schools around the country after they received notifications from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) that their SNA allocations will be reduced for the next school year.

Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton confirmed today that the review is now being paused.

“I have listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities in recent days. I want to reiterate that there are no cuts to SNA numbers,” she said.

“I want to ensure that SNAs are with the children who most need their care. To that end, I am pausing the review of the SNA allocations.”

She said herself, Tánaiste Simon Harris and Taoiseach Micheál Martin are engaging to ensure the concerns raised are understood and children with special educational needs are fully supported.

Naughton said today that no further letters on SNA review outcomes will issue until engagements with the Tánaiste and Taoiseach have concluded.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said yesterday that the NCSE allocates SNA support based on reviews of care needs in each school, and allocations can change due to student numbers, care needs, or pupils moving between school levels.

Clash

During Leaders’ Questions today the Taoiseach and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald clashed on the reviews.

McDonald said the cuts “will be devastating for children with additional needs” and said the government needs to cancel any changes, rather than pause them.

“A pause is no good to anyone. In fact, it only adds to the uncertainty and the anxiety for parents, schools and SNAs. So you need to stop this now. Take this plan off the table, tell parents and teachers and SNAS that you will not proceed with these cuts.”

Martin said he understands “the stress and the difficulty and the fear” that can develop when it comes to potentially losing services in a given school. However, he said reviews are necessary to ensure resources are allocated correctly.

“It’s not plausible that there wouldn’t be reviews, reviews should be more regular to make sure that our resource goes to the children most in need,” he said.

“I think most people would accept that as rational and the right course of action, different needs will arise on an annual basis.”

He said any changes would have to be gradual, and the impact on the individual schools would have to be factored in.

McDonald said the Taoiseach does not seem to “accept or understand” that schools have been struggling and are under pressure. “If there is an excess of SNAs across the school communities of this land, I certainly haven’t seen it,” she said.

Martin said that the number of SNAs will be increased to 25,000 for the 2026/27 school year, and added that the number of SNAs has increased by 45% in the last five years.

Meanwhile, Fórsa has welcomed the pause on SNA allocation review.

Andy Pike, Fórsa’s head of education, said: “This pause gives us an important opportunity to discuss a better way of planning and managing SNA allocations for the future.”

“The Minister’s decision will be very welcome and will help ease anxieties around the possibility of SNA supports being removed from children in mainstream classes, who rely on that support to fully participate in their education,” he said.

“It is a significant step forward in recognising that the work of SNAs goes far beyond what is reflected in the current, outdated SNA circulars.”

He said part of the discussion that now needs to take place is an assessment of whether or not special education is adequately funded.