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LAST UPDATE | 21 Feb
A SECOND MINISTER has failed to bring clarity into the review of the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs) after public backlash and outcry from opposition TDs, teachers, parents and trade unions.
Four days after the Department of Education “paused” a review of SNA allocations after immense backlash, it remains uncertain as to whether the the decision will be walked back, reformed, or commence with updated communication.
It came after the National Council for Special Education told several schools they could lose part of their SNA allocation.
Fine Gael Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell was asked on RTÉ’s Saturday with Cormac Ó hEadhra programme whether the review was paused to fundamentally change the process of the review or to streamline and clarify communications in respect of the allocations.
“All I can confirm is that there’s a review underway at the Department of Education, the ministers, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the NCSE (National Council for Special Education), to look at the review of what’s being put forward and to deal with it, to give certainty to parents,” O’Donnell said.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said yesterday that the review should be completed within a month, after Minister Michael Moynihan said there was “no point” in setting a target date.
Simon Harris said initial communication about it, in which almost 200 schools were told they could lose SNAs, was “botched”.
“It is a really bad situation that caused a lot of upset, a lot of anger, a lot of hurt from parents of children with special educational needs, from children themselves, from SNAs and from teachers,” Harris said yesterday.
O’Donnell today said he agreed with the Tánaiste on the timeline.
Sinn Féin TD Darren O’Rourke, who was also on the programme, said “Government don’t know what they’re doing”, regarding the differing positions of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil ministers.
“The ministers don’t know what they’re doing, because the reality of the announcements that were made during the week, they were the effective implementation of government policy that has been there for a long time, that has been about diluting, literally redefining the definition of need.”
The Labour Party’s Marie Sherlock said families and schools need certainty regarding the review and whether SNAs will be reallocated.
She said schools already have to “shoulder the burden of more than is necessary because of the lack of health supports that are out there”, mentioning waiting lists for occupational therapy and speech and language therapy.
While some schools have been told that they will lose SNAs, others will face a “de facto cut” as they will be asked to do more with the same allocation of SNAs, she said.
Schools and SNAs have raised concern that the outcome of the review will remain the same if the scope of the role of an SNA is not widened.
One SNA told The Journal that the reviews and hiring of SNAs is “based on the narrow scope of primary care needs”, saying the “reality is that the children rely on us for so much more in order to meet their needs”.
Yesterday, Minister of State for Special Education Michael Moynihan was criticised by Sinn Féin for adding to the uncertainty after he claimed there was “no point” in announcing a target completion for the review after the pause.
Moynihan also repeatedly refused to say if he expected any schools to lose SNAs.
Asked about Moynihan’s comments on a timeline, Harris said it was not up to him but it was his view the review should be done within a month.
“It can only take a matter of weeks, and that’s just being honest, because we have to be able to provide clarity for the schools, and, most importantly, clarity for the children and their parents, and they need to have that clarity well in advance of September,” the Fine Gael leader said.
But Moynihan’s comments were described as “disgraceful” by Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty.
Doherty accused Moynihan of plunging families into panic and said: “Children with additional needs and their families are entitled to certainty, stability and respect.
Parents and SNAs deserve a straight answer: Will any school lose SNA posts in September – yes or no?
Asked if any school would lose an SNA in September, Moynihan declined to answer and simply said the “process is now paused”.
He said the Department would ensure there is “no cliff edge”.
Pressed on whether that means the notified schools would not lose SNAs, Moynihan reiterated that the process had been paused.
After initially saying the process would be done in “a number of weeks” and “as soon as possible”, Moynihan declined to give a specific date.
He also repeatedly refused to say if any schools would lose SNAs or how many positions would be redeployed.
He said: “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.”
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
However, Moynihan said schools who had been told they would get an additional allocation would still receive that support.
“We’re increasing the number of SNAs.”
Doherty said the Government should “confirm unequivocally that no school will lose SNA support as a result of this flawed process.”
“Our children deserve better than a Government that is making policy on the hoof. They deserve certainty that they will have the supports they need to thrive,” the Donegal TD said.
Additional reporting by Emma Hickey
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