The controversy over SNA allocations has descended further into farce, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins, with the Department of Public Expenditure admitting to an Oireachtas committee today that it has no idea where the government\u2019s promised additional \u20ac19 million in funding will come from.<\/p>\n
Deputy Cummins, who is the party\u2019s education spokesperson, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cEarlier this week, as it performed a screeching U-turn on plans to cut special needs assistants in almost 200 schools from September, the government announced an additional sum of \u20ac19 million for SNAs in a desperate attempt to quell public anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) this morning, the Department of Public Expenditure said that it had no idea where this money would be found.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will create further uncertainty for parents, SNAs and teaching staff in the months ahead and shows that the government is just making it up as it goes along.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeanwhile, we learned today that between 800 and 1,000 children with additional needs are set to be denied their right to be educated in an appropriate setting this September due to the abysmal failure by this and previous governments to prepare for anticipated demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile this shocking, it is hardly surprising \u2013 it is the culmination of successive governments\u2019 inability to sufficiently plan for increased demand. Eligibility applications for special classes closed last October. However, due to pressure from parents who were still awaiting a diagnosis for their children, applications have since reopened, which has highlighted the true level of demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is that even the 400 special classes budgeted for may not be delivered in time for the September school term. The Department of Education\u2019s building unit told an Oireachtas committee this week that it has 1,000 works projects listed for 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven that some schools, including one in my constituency, are struggling to even get overflowing toilets fixed, it is difficult to imagine how 400 extra classes can be delivered in time for the 2026\/27 term.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome September, hundreds of children will be sitting in a classroom or at home, denied their right to a place in an appropriate educational setting.\u201d<\/p>\n
February 26, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The controversy over SNA allocations has descended further into farce, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins, with the Department of Public Expenditure admitting to an Oireachtas committee today that it has no idea where the government\u2019s promised additional \u20ac19 million in funding will come from. Deputy Cummins, who is the party\u2019s education spokesperson, said: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12900,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[218,581,692,7,811,678],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-jen-cummins","category-pac","category-press-release","category-snas","category-special-education"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n