SNA refusal at Harcourt Terrace school
Deputy Andrews said Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School had been refused an extra SNA despite safety and child-protection concerns in temporary accommodation. The Taoiseach said he would not allocate SNAs school by school, noted NCSE’s role, and said the Oireachtas could not handle every individual application.
Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School is located in temporary accommodation in a building that was not designed for primary or secondary school children. In September 2021, Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School opened its second autism class in order to support further the autism community. The school has applied for an additional special needs assistant, SNA, to combat health and safety and child protection concerns which the building presents, but it has been refused. The Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, cited Circular 0030/2020, which apples to a school's SNA allocation in a standardised situation, which is not applicable to this school as it is in a temporary building. Due to the exceptional circumstances in which the school finds itself, will the Taoiseach ensure that this SNA application will be considered as a matter of urgency?
Comment on this
I do not think it is for the Taoiseach of the day to be allocating SNAs to different schools across the country. I understand the school may have particular concerns with regard to its specific situation. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, advises on these matters. I do not know whether the Deputy has contacted the NCSE.