Richard Bruton promises extra supports and SNAs for schools

Education Minister Richard Bruton has promised to increase the number of schools receiving extra staffing and support.

Approximately 800 schools in disadvantaged areas receive supplementary State support under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools scheme. Now there are plans to use census data to identify schools that currently do not receive extra supports, but are based in deprived areas.

For years, teachers’ groups have criticised cuts in education spending. Schools in poorer areas are said to have been particularly adversely affected. Bruton has promised to improve educational outcomes of those most in need, and plans for this are to be made available over the coming months.

New SNAs promised

In addition to supports for schools in disadvantaged areas, the minister has also promised that every child who needs a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) will be given one. The Cabinet approved a 7 percent increase in the number of SNAs for next year, bringing the nationwide total to just under 13,000. Schools are to be given funding for new SNA hires by the end of the year.

IMPACT, the trade union, which represents around 7,000 SNAs, has welcomed the news. However, IMPACT’s Barry Cunningham warned that the increase will not be enough to meet needs long-term.

“A 7 percent increase in the number of SNAs in the 2016-2017 school year would be welcome, but the demands on the service are continuing to outpace the resources available,” said Cunningham.

“We have also asked the education department to take immediate steps to address the uncertainty about the allocation of special needs assistants and, in particular, the timeliness of the publication of allocations in advance of the next school year. This is a perennial problem, which results in uncertainty for staff, schools and parents, and it needs to be addressed as a matter of priority,” he added.