The Deirdre O'Shaugnessy Podcast: Inside the fallout from the SNA allocation controversy

Ciara Reilly examines the political fallout and what the cancelled SNA review means for schools

Ciara Reilly on the SNA review u-turn and impact on schools

The Government’s u-turn on, and subsequent denial of involvement in, a review of Special Needs Assistant allocation was an embarrassing episode for the coalition and a stressful one for school communities.

Teacher, commentator and mother of a child with special needs, Ciara Reilly has written about the review for the Irish Examiner this week.

Drawing on her uniquely multi-faceted perspective, she explains how the SNA role has evolved since the 2014 circular that governs it, how dependent many schools are on their SNA colleagues, and how the hasty cancellation of the review amid political backlash has led to a missed opportunity to address real issues facing schools.

Ciara Reilly is this weeks guest on the Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast.