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.
However, local Deputy James Bannon TD called on the Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan TD to reverse what he described as "the shameful withdrawal of SNAs from schools" and highlighted that the move by the department had left children with special needs in mainstream education "in a very difficult position".
"The protest at the gates of Leinster House last week left the Government in no doubt that parents, teachers and students are extremely angry," he said. "Children who have special needs are now being left to cope in a school environment that is alien to their needs. Special needs classes in mainstream schools give pupils the opportunity to avail of the help they need, while benefiting from the social and educational environment of the school."
Longford/Westmeath Labour Deputy Willie Penrose TD said that SNAs were vital to the lives of children with disabilities in education. "It is absolute folly to reduce the numbers and hours of the SNAs at this point in time. It is the very antithesis of the inclusion policy which was the essence of the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004, and the roll-out of which was halted in 2008," Deputy Penrose said.
"How could anyone justify the removal of SNAs in the middle of a school year where relationship and trust have been built up? It is incumbent upon the Government to ensure that the SNA system that is in place, is not systematically emasculated. SNAs play an indispensable role and recent decisions as a result of this review should be reviewed immediately."
Last week Minister Coughlan said that there was "no question of posts being removed from schools where they meet the scheme's criteria". She said that in the course of recent discussions there had been suggestions that her Department had given a target to the NCSE for reducing the number of SNAs and that there was absolutely no truth in such claims.
"The NCSE has merely applied the criteria that have always been there," she said. "This could have resulted in additional posts as it did in many schools, while in other schools there was a reduction either on the basis that the children had left or their care needs had diminished."
[Copyright: Longford Leader, 9th April 2010]
Post new comment