Autism class shortages: Families say NCSE vacancy claims don’t match reality on the ground

Parents, SNAs and principals say official claims of special class vacancies ignore the daily reality of rejection, shortages and unmet needs

SNA Samantha Flanagan and principal Clodagh Farrell in one of the two ASD classrooms at Stapolin Educate Together National School in Belmayne Avenue, Dublin 13. Picture: Moya Nolan

Special needs assistant (SNA) Samantha O’Flanagan doesn’t mince words when asked what she thinks about an exercise at the start of the school year that found nearly 800 vacancies in special classes, at a time when parents were “at their wits’ end, in tears”.

“Those figures are just absolute nonsense, to be honest,” she said. “As a working SNA, those figures just don’t make sense. Especially in our school, but across the board, they just don’t make sense.”