Special Needs Parents Association Press Release 6th July 2011

Wednesday, 06 July 2011 15:36

National Demonstration against cuts in Special Education 3pm July 13th Leinster House, Kildare St.

Following on from recent local school protests, protests outside the Dail and meetings all over Ireland re special educational cuts, parents of children with special needs, educators, SNAs and supporters are invited to a gathering outside Leinster House at 3pm Wednesday 13th July for a family friendly National Demonstration, to coincide with the Dail Technical Group dedicating their Private Members time to the issue of changes and cuts in all areas of special educational resources, traveller resource supports, language supports and school transport.

The Special Needs Parents Association is deeply concerned that Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s view on the issue of SNA numbers stated last week in reply to a question by Deputy McGrath is that parents perceptions that there are cutbacks is unfounded and that every child who needs an SNA will have access. Lorraine Dempsey Spokesperson for the Association said that, “The reality is that some children have only been allowed access to a school environment during the times that an SNA will be available. An offer by a special school of one hour a day in school from September is technically ‘ access to education’ but is it not of any real benefit to a child nor the parent who is unemployable as a result of that child not being in school for the normal duration. Such cases highlight how it is the government and not the parents who are having difficulties between what they perceive to be happening and the reality of what is happening for some children.

The Special needs Parents Association is calling on all parents to attend the demonstration with their families and everyone working within the education system to show support for an issue that will at the end of the day, affect all children in a classroom setting.

Inclusion through education can only happen if the right supports are available to a child and a school and if those supports are lacking, coupled with increased class sizes, every child’s education will suffer as a result. Principals and teachers are already under enormous pressure to differentiate the curriculum for every child and manage with fewer resources overall, but this problem is compounded further when they have to accommodate the substantial learning needs of some children who now will have no SNA support in class due to new prioritisation of SNA resources by the Department of Education & Skills.

Chairperson Noel Cuddy stated that "We appreciate the economic circumstances that have led to the decisions made over previous months but is there any real economic savings to the State overall as the financial burden shifts from the Department of Education & Skills budget to the Department of Social Protection with the removal of 227 SNA posts". Over the lifetime of this government, we will see children struggling through our education system unnecessarily and when the country does recover from this recession; those children will continue to struggle as they move through the system onto adulthood. Irrespective of what increases in support that might arise in future years, the time between will be lost for thousands of children both with and without special educational needs.

The National Demonstration at 3pm called for by the Special Needs Parents Association has been endorsed by Inclusion Ireland, members of the Dail Technical Group, Special Needs Assistants and Parents Campaign (SNAP) and Impact SNA Section.

STOP.

For more information contact PRO & Spokesperson Lorraine Dempsey at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Phone 087 7741917

National Executive Committee

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