Westmeath SNA protest to take to the streets

Mullingar will stage one of many demonstrations this week against government plans to cut the number of special needs assistants (SNAs) in mainstream schools.

The protests will be spearheaded by a gathering this Wednesday, February 25, outside Leinster House. Mullingar SNAs and parents of children with additional needs will also protest at the Market Square in Mullingar at the same time on Wednesday.

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Support group Autism Families Westmeath said: “We will be joining in the numerous protests happening across the country. As local parents and SNAs, we are very worried about the consequences of potential SNA cuts to our schools.”

SNAs in mainstream schools face uncertainty as 194 schools may have to implement cuts for September 2026 despite rising needs. Although the number in schools has increased by 45% since 2020 – an additional 1,717 SNAs in 2025 – the department is looking to redirect resources to special education.

There will be 25,000 SNAs in schools in September 2026, but many of the additional posts directed towards new special classes rather than mainstream, leaving students participating in mainstream education with reduced support.

Carol McSherry, Fórsa SNA representative for North Leinster, says the Mullingar protest reflects a national mood: “The union are fully supporting it. I feel it’s very organic, it’s very much run by members, which is a good thing. It’s been heartening to see how much the parents are really behind us.”

A National Council for Special Education (NCSE) review suggested more SNAs should be in special educational settings. The review is a mandatory or school-led assessment conducted during the 2025/26 school year to ensure SNA allocations match current needs.

Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton recognised the importance of the teaching support staff: “SNAs play a critical role in our schools, I know how much they mean to school communities, parents and the children they support,” she stated.

She said the government “paused” the planned cuts as they are “engaging intensively” to ensure “concerns raised are really understood and children with special educational needs are fully supported”.

The minister said: “No further letters on SNA review outcomes will issue until these engagements have concluded in the coming weeks.”

The Dept of Education acknowledges that an estimated 25% of the total student population, or 240,000 children and young people with special educational needs, are supported in mainstream classes. An additional 30,500 with more complex needs are enrolled in special classes and special schools.

Fórsa have called on Minister Naughton to confirm that all existing SNA posts in mainstream schools will be retained and protected from NCSE cuts.

The union believe that more than 1,000 reviews of SNA staffing numbers have already been conducted by the NCSE, and if implemented, would result in hundreds of job losses.

Carol McSherry, who works as a SNA, said the redeployment arrangements, which have yet to be published, contain short timescales for ensuring SNAs at risk of redundancy can access alternative posts.

“On top of moving a lot of SNAs for mainstream, they have cut hours for some SNAs, which means they can’t really afford to live on their wages but they also would not be covered by the redeployment circular,” she Fórsa said. “SNAs are waiting a long time for this new contract, we’re waiting for the redeployment circular, waiting for amendments, and everything seems to be moving so slowly.”

Fórsa said that if the redeployment process began in May or June it would be too late in the year for many SNAs to secure alternative posts: “The department, the minister and the NCSE might believe that by announcing the pause, we’d all just go back to our jobs. But it’s not going to stop. It’ll continue, because there just needs to be systematic change at this stage,” Ms McSherry told the Examiner.

Autism Families Westmeath (AFW) said the local protest is to give a voice to everyone affected by the proposed changes: “The government’s decision to ‘pause’ the SNA allocation review does not resolve crises in schools and does not restore confidence of SNAs, parents or teachers. They view the review itself as evidence of systemic failure and a continued unwillingness to address the real drivers of pressure in schools.”

“Without our SNAs so many children would not be able to access the school curriculum. School would become a place of stress and anxiety for so many and increase the pressure on teachers and principals, who are already stretching finite resources.”

Longford Westmeath Sinn Féin TD, Sorca Clarke, has urged other elected representatives in the constituency to stand with children with additional needs, SNAs and school communities by supporting the SF Dáil motion to abandon the SNA cuts.

“We have a choice this week. We can stand by a bureaucratic spreadsheet formula, or we can stand by our children. Sinn Féin is choosing children, families, and the dedicated SNAs who are the backbone of our inclusive education system.”