Cut to numbers may be revisited

A CUT to the number of special needs assistants for children with autism at St Senan’s Primary School may be revisited after complaints about the appeals process.

The Irish Examiner highlighted yesterday how the appeal lodged by the school last October was not even considered but the decision was only notified to staff and parents last week.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) had said the loss of SNAs could not be considered within the appeals process because the overall number of SNAs at the autism unit for 18 pupils was above those set out in Department of Education policy.