Union queries claim on SNA posts

A UNION representing special needs assistants (SNA) has questioned Tánaiste Mary Coughlan’s assertion that more than 1,300 posts have been created in schools for children with disabilities.

A report by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) of special need supports shows there are 358 fewer SNAs working in the 2,913 schools it has reviewed to date. Another 237 schools which have an SNA allocation will be reviewed after the Easter holidays.

The special education council’s report shows there are now 8,463 SNAs in the schools already reviewed, down from 8,821 before the exercise began just over a year ago. The figure comprises 5,801 SNAs in primary schools (4.8% fewer than before the review), 1,656 in second level schools (down 3%) and 1,006 in special schools (down 1.2%).