SNAs to host public protest in Edenderry this evening

A protest over reductions to special needs assistants (SNAs) will take place at Edenderry Town Hall this evening at 5pm.

SNAs teaching in the town's local national and primary schools are expected to be joined by their colleagues and members of the community as they aim to send a message to the Government on the role they play in the education of children with special needs.

The Government this week said there would be no reductions to special needs assistants for the next school year, and any school that has been allocated additional resources will receive them.

This announcement follows a decision by the Minister for Education and Youth of Ireland Hildegarde Naughton to pause the review and reallocation of SNAs for the coming school year after it caused concern and outrage among parents, teachers and SNAs.

However, the public protest, in tandem with similar events throughout the country, will proceed this evening.

One of three organisers of the protest in Edenderry, Evelyn Lynch has been a SNA since 2002. She now serves the role in Oaklands College and has been doing so since 2009.

Together with her fellow SNAs, Sharon Farrell (Scoil Bhríde NS) and Denise Lloyd (St Mary's Secondary School), she is hoping to see a groundswell of local support for their cause at the public protest this evening.

Evelyn said that while there is "uncertainty" regarding her SNA role at the school on a regular basis, she said it was with "disbelief" that she heard the Government were "even considering" reducing SNA numbers at schools.

"Since 2014 there always has been insecurity attached to our job and it's a concern but we all do our job because we have a passion for it," Evelyn said.

SNAs look after the primary and secondary care needs of pupils with additional needs in the classroom and without their support Evelyn said the teacher would not be in a position to do their job.

"There is an emotional attachment to each child you work with and we have to care for their personal needs, be it anxiety issues or toilet breaks, during the school day," Evelyn said.

Evelyn said that the Government shouldn't even think about reducing the number of SNAs in each classroom given the number of children now requiring additional assistance in schools.

"The Government should look towards hiring more and more SNAs for the start of each school year. Children also have a lot of secondary care needs and need help with such issues as dyslexia and dyspraxia on a regular basis," Evelyn added.

While she agreed that the decision taken by the Government is a "sticking plaster", she is hoping to see proper planning for the future of special education in mainstream classes.

"If SNA policy is not changed then you are looking at a domino effect. I am thinking about the SNAs of the future and how our current job insecurity will impact their careers," Evelyn concluded.