Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
93. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will list the occasions on which she has met with representative groups of SNAs to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39413/26]
View answerI acknowledge the vital contribution that Special Needs Assistants make to the educational experience and overall wellbeing of students in our schools.
My department is finalising the first Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan. This plan provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and supporting the SNA role and will introduce a series of policy developments to strengthen clarity, direction and consistency within the workforce.
Work on the Plan has involved significant research and collaboration including consultation with SNAs and other stakeholders including school management bodies, Fórsa the trade union representing SNAs, school staff, parents and children and young people over the last two years. This collaboration includes 55 meetings of working groups which examined every facet of the SNA role with a view to enhancing support to children and young people with special educational needs. My department also established an SNA Stakeholder group which comprised of SNAs from across primary, post-primary and special school settings. This group have met five times to date.
In addition to my department's engagement with SNA representatives, Minister Naughton and I also recently met with these stakeholder groups and a number of SNAs in a day long engagement to discuss this important work.
I also engage regularly with SNAs during visits to schools, events and stakeholder engagements.
Key outputs from the Plan include a new circular on the role of the SNA, a SNA Redeployment Scheme and a review of the SNA employment contract. I am pleased to confirm that the drafting of the Plan, circulars on the role and redeployment scheme are now at an advanced stage, and it is intended that they will be published shortly.
