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RTÉ’S GAVIN JENNINGS appeared to be visibly frustrated this morning after the Minister of State for Special Education, Michael Moynihan, was unable to provide clarity on what will happen when the pause on a nationwide SNA review is lifted.
The Government was forced to make an embarrassing u-turn this week after being widely criticised for letters sent to almost 200 primary schools informing them of cuts to their number of special needs assistants in September.
The review, which was being carried out by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), was halfway complete, but following the backlash, Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton paused it on Tuesday.
In an interview on RTÉ Radio 1′s flagship Morning Ireland earlier today, Michael Moynihan repeatedly refused to be drawn on what will happen to primary schools in September.
The Fianna Fáil junior minister said the communication with schools was “wrong” and there was a need “for a far better system”.
He said the Department would engage intensively with schools individually.
Asked if any school would lose an SNA in September, Moynihan said: “The process is now paused.”
“There will be no decisions made, the entire process is paused, which means whatever communication there was heretofore, there will be new communication,” Moynihan said.
Pressed on whether that means the notified schools would not lose SNAs, the junior minister reiterated that the process had been paused.
Moynihan’s failure to answer the questions led the interviewer, Gavin Jennings, to throw his arms in the air in exasperation at one point.
“It’s very confusing for schools here,” Jennings said, as he held his head in his hands.
When even the radio presenter Gaving Jennings throws his hands in the air with confusion.
— Mick Caul (@caulmick) February 20, 2026
A Car crash interview on the SNA Fiasco with Minister of State for Education Michael Moynihan this morning.
I can be very clear "we've paused the process" he says.🫣#MorningIreland… pic.twitter.com/0y0WT5uqHf
After initially stating that the process would be done in “a number of weeks” and “as soon as possible”, Moynihan declined to give a specific date.
“There’s no point coming out and saying to you it will be done in a number of days, a number of weeks – it will be done properly.”
The minister repeatedly refused to say if any schools would lose SNAs or how many positions would be redeployed.
He said: “Let me be very clear, right? We have paused the entire process so therefore until that process is completely reviewed we will not be scaremongering, we will engage meticulously with all school communities and families that have contacted us.”
However, he said schools that had been told they would get an additional allocation would still receive that support.
“We’re increasing the number of SNAs,” he said.
Moynihan’s comments during the interview have been lambasted by Opposition politicians.
Labour’s education spokesperson TD Eoghan Kenny said the junior minister’s comments were “as clear as muck”.
“The appearance by Minister Moynihan on Morning Ireland today has only deepened uncertainty.
“The Minister was as clear as muck and could not confirm the length of this so-called pause on the review. He could not tell schools whether they will lose SNAs or what the timeframe is for decisions that will directly impact children with additional needs,” the Cork North Central TD said.
He added that the Government’s decision to pause the review “looks like an attempt to buy time and take the heat out of this scandal.”
Kenny called on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to guarantee that no SNAs will be redeployed and that the role “will not be diminished in any way”.
“The supports that SNAs provide are fundamental to inclusion in our education system. Treating their future as an open question is an awful way to treat the very people who make our schools work for children with additional needs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said schools are “beside themselves with worry” and the Government can’t give “basic answers”.
“The Fianna Fáil junior Minister added to that worry on the radio this morning. The senior Minister for Education as láthair – invisible.”
Sinn Féin’s education spokesperson, Darren O’Rourke, said the interview was a “horrendous” one by the junior minister.
“Government is completely at sea & the Senior Minister is invisible. Total incompetence. It’s a really shameful way to treat children with additional needs, parents, SNAs, everyone,” he said.
Includes reporting from Press Association.
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