Protest over SNA review to go ahead in Cavan this evening

"It's Friday and a lovely evening so I would urge all parents, SNAs, teachers, politicians and anyone with a vested interest to join us" Anne McPhillips, SNA, Billis NS.

A PROTEST will take place in Cavan town this evening over the government’s scrapped plans to reduce the number of special needs assistants (SNAs) in certain schools.

The protest in Cavan follows a well-attended similar event in Monaghan town on Wednesday evening.

Over the past few weeks, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) contacted almost 200 schools nationally informing them their SNA allocation was being cut.

Once word got out, SNAs, parents, teachers and principals expressed their concern and outrage at the potential cuts at a time when most schools are crying out for more SNAs.

As the public got ready to protest the proposed SNA review, the Minister of Education Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of State for Special Education, Michael Moynihan, announced the review was to be ‘paused’ and on Monday, announced an additional €19m for SNAs this year.

The government said the review did not automatically mean a reduction in SNA allocation. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the government did not ‘sign-off’ on the controversial review plans.

Despite the u-turn, the protest planned for Monaghan on Wednesday went ahead as is the one planned for Cavan this evening.

Local SNA, Anne McPhillips works in Billis NS and will attend tonight's event at Cavan Courthouse from 6pm.

She said it's important that all parents, SNAs and anyone with a vested interest in education now and the future should attend.

Anne, who has been working as an SNA for 18 years would certainly have lost her job if the government had pressed ahead with the review and redeployment of people in her profession.

"I don't think this problem is just going to go away," Anne told the 'Celt, "If I had lost my job where I help 12 children every day in a school of 76 pupils and help any other child who requires it on a daily basis and I had been re-deployed to a special autism unit what would have happened those 12 -plus children in my current school?"

"It's Friday and a lovely evening so I would urge all parents, SNAs, teachers, politicians and anyone with a vested interest to join us," Anne said.