Roscommon protests in support of SNAs taking place today
The protests are part of a national campaign.
Protests are being planned in the county today, Wednesday, in support of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).
‘Save our SNAs’ protests, being held in Castlerea and Roscommon Town, are calling for the protection of SNAs, children and the wider school community from staff cuts.
The protests, which are part of a national campaign, are going ahead despite the Education Minister's announcement on Monday that there will be no reductions of SNAs for the next school year.
The Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton announced there would be no reductions of SNAs for the next school year along with an additional €19 million in funding. However the Forsa Trade Union representing SNAs said the move was a "sticking plaster to be in place for 12 months while the Government tries to get its act together".
The protest in Roscommon Town is SNA led and will be meeting on the town Square at 3.30 p.m. until 5 p.m.. Castlerea's protest is parent led and will be meeting on the Square at 2 p.m. until approximately 5 p.m.
Posters will be handed out but feel free to bring your own, organisers of the local protests said.
Organisers say that children with additional needs need their SNA support in order to experience true inclusion in mainstream schools, warning that all pupils, all class teachers, and parents will suffer if SNA hours are cut.
“This is a community issue and we are asking all parents, guardians, foster parents, teachers, childcare workers, AIM staff, SNAs, grandparents and extended families to come out on Wednesday and support us,” they said.
Part of a nationwide campaign, protests will take place in various locations around the country, with 24 planned as of 1 p.m. today.
Fórsa trade union, which represents the vast majority of SNAs employed in Irish schools, believes that more than a thousand reviews of SNA staffing numbers have already been conducted by the NCSE (National Council for Special Education). If implemented this would result in hundreds of job losses, the union warned.
Fórsa’s head of education Andy Pike spoke on the pause made by the government last week to allow them to check each SNA review carried out by the NCSE.
“It’s clear to us that the Government does not have confidence in the review process. If the minister does not trust the NCSE, how can they expect SNAs to trust this process?
“The policy of abolishing SNA posts in mainstream classes does not need to be paused. It needs to be cancelled.”
