Government accused of hypocrisy over changing views on SNA restrictions

The Government has been accused of hypocrisy over ministers’ changing opinions on restricting numbers of special needs assistants (SNAs) in schools for children with disabilities.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn insisted to parents and disability groups on Wednesday that there would be no change to the number of SNAs in September and every child who needs their help will have it next September. He was responding to claims that continuing to cap SNA numbers at 10,575, while numbers who get their help are up 10% to 22,000, actually means reduced individual help.

But in December 2010, Ruairi Quinn reacted angrily to the introduction of the cap by his ministerial predecessor Fianna Fáil’s Mary Coughlan.