200 SNAs to be removed from schools. Will know today if my child's school is one! Mr Ruairí Quinn will regret his decision.  What a U-turn!!

Cuts to special needs resources deplorable

As a primary school teacher and a parent, I deplore the latest cynical move by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) which has "paused" any resource hours being allocated to any child with special needs.

Resulting from their latest circular, no new child presenting with special needs will be granted resource hours, but must be included in mainstream classes.

The DES has two huge questions to answer, in accounting for this action. How are they cherishing and supporting the child with special needs, by reducing/removing their support system? And how are they cherishing the children without special needs, who will have drastically reduced access to teacher time?

Maire Lineen
Dunboyne, Co Meath

Source: Letters Page, Irish Times, 1st April 2011

I attach a brouchure on a seminar which the Leitrim/West Cavan Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland is organising on Special Education Needs and which will take place in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim on November 11th.

Local politicians criticised cuts in the number of Special Needs Assistants in Longford and Westmeath this week but the exact detail of the cuts remain unclear. The Department of Education and Skills said this week that it is unable to release details with regard to the cutbacks in Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in Co Longford schools. "The figures relating to the cuts are not available on a regional basis," the spokesperson said.

IN YET another blow to parents of special needs children, The Mayo News has learned that St Brid’s Special School in Castlebar may lose three of its 13 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in June next.  St Brid’s caters for almost 25 children with severe, profound and moderate learning difficulties, as well as children with autism, all of whom require care on an almost continual basis.

Notification of Transitional Arrangements being put in place in relation to the outcome of the review of all Special Needs Assistant posts in primary, special and post-primary schools by the National Council for Special Education

1. Introduction