O’Keeffe insists cuts in special needs assistants will go ahead

THE move to start cutting assistants working with children with special needs (SNAs) from next week will not be reversed, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe has insisted.

Despite pressure to delay job cuts until all schools’ SNA numbers have been reviewed, he said schools and parents have had sufficient notice of the cuts taking effect from Monday.

SNAs are appointed where a child has special care needs relating primarily to physical disabilities, rather than learning needs, although some children may have both.