‘I will withdraw my daughter over cuts’

THE potential human cost of the decision to cut the number of number of special needs assistants (SNA) in Irish schools has been highlighted by the plight of 11-year-old blind girl, Rebecca Walsh.

As a result of the review of support services by the National Council for Special Education the Castlebar girl risks losing the full-time SNA who helps her at her special school.

The 11-year-old has a lower learning disability and mobility issues which require constant care at home as well as at St Anthony’s Special School in Castlebar, where she has been a pupil since September 2008. The number of SNAs at the school is set to be reduced from 13 to nine, meaning she will only have access to a care assistant for as little as a quarter of each school day.