Episode Details

Education supports for children with additional needs have been thrust back into the spotlight after Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton announced a pause to the review of Special Needs Assistant allocations. The decision follows widespread concern from parents, schools and unions after a number of schools were informed they could lose SNA posts from next September, despite Government assurances that there are no overall cuts and that SNA numbers will rise to 25,000 by 2026. The review, carried out by the National Council for Special Education, had prompted protests and calls for greater clarity around how allocations are decided. So, what does this pause really mean for families, for SNAs working on the ground, and most importantly, for the children who rely on that vital support every day? Alan Morrissey spoke with Whitegate mother Anne Malone and SNA and Tubber native Liz O’Donoghue on Clare FM's Morning Focus Photo (c) JasonDoiy from Getty Images Signature via Canva.com