Inishowen Councillors unite at Buncrana protest over SNA allocations

Inishowen councillors from across the political spectrum stood shoulder to shoulder with parents, teachers, and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in Buncrana last Wednesday evening, pledging their opposition to proposed changes to SNA allocations and calling for long-term guarantees for children with additional needs.

Around 400 people gathered at the Market Square for the demonstration, which was attended by councillors including Joy Beard of the 100% Redress Party, Jack Murray of Sinn Féin, and Martin McDermott of Fianna Fáil, all of whom addressed the crowd. Numerous other councillors from across Donegal and Ireland were also present while attending the Regional Assembly at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel.

The local campaign was initiated by St Oran’s Principal William Doherty and parent Fiona Igoe, whose seven-year-old daughter Siabhra, who has Type 1 diabetes, had been set to lose her SNA under proposed changes. Both had contacted public representatives across Inishowen to highlight their concerns and mobilise support.

Despite the Government announcing that there would be no change for next year, Councillor Joy Beard told the crowd that similar protests were taking place across the country due to “uncertainty and panic when it comes to special education.”

“The turnaround announcement didn’t happen accidentally. It happened because parents, SNAs, communities, public representatives, and schools stood up and were united in sending a very clear message to our Government.”

“When people come together and refuse to accept cuts to essential supports, the Government is forced to listen, and that’s thanks to you.”

Cllr Beard thanked those who had “stood up, spoken out and supported the valuable work of our SNAs”, describing them as playing “a vital role in our school communities and in the lives of the pupils they support”.

However, the Buncrana Councillor warned against allowing the issue to reappear again this time next year. “We need a clear commitment that we will not hear a repeat of these announcements about SNA cuts. Families can’t be put through that stress again. Children with additional needs cannot be left wondering whether support will be there from one year to the next.”

Speaking personally, she said both of her sisters had worked as SNAs for 20 years, and she had seen firsthand the difference they make.

“One of my sisters learned sign language to support the child she was with, and then went a step further as her school organised an after-school class to teach her peers sign language as well. That pupil is thriving today because of that. That’s what our SNAs do, they change lives, create inclusion and give children dignity, confidence and opportunity.”

Councillor Jack Murray paid tribute to Fiona Igoe for organising the protest.

“Two weeks ago, nobody expected to be standing here. We didn’t know a review was happening. We didn’t know these callous and cold letters were on their way to Cockhill and to schools all over the country,” he said.

He described receiving an emotional message from Ms. Igoe outlining her fears for her child, but also her determination to fight the decision. “That’s what has led to this point as we’re standing here today.”

Cllr Murray also praised Principal William Doherty and the SNAs, teachers, and parents who mobilised locally.

“What started in Cockhill began to simmer across the country. The Government saw the groundswell of opposition and moved quickly to suspend the changes. That’s a victory for Fiona, for parents, and for teachers, but we won’t stop there. We need to expand the SNA service and protect the most vulnerable children in our society.”

He noted that SNAs who contacted him in recent weeks were not focused on their own jobs but on the children in their care.

“The common theme in every email and phone call was concern for the child. There was real sincerity and worry in those messages.”

Councillor Martin McDermott also credited Fiona Igoe for bringing the issue to public attention. “You contacted all of us here in Inishowen to highlight the absolute disgrace this had become. Someone somewhere should have paused this long before we reached this level,” he said.

He said councillors across parties had made representations to ministers and were united in opposing the proposed changes. “There is no way we were going to stand back and allow this to happen. When you see the work SNAs do, the time they put into supporting the children.”

The North Inishowen Councillor said that while the pause was welcome, it was not sufficient. “It has to be stopped completely, revisited, and replaced with a policy that puts children first. That is our responsibility as public representatives.”

Councillor Fionán Bradley, who also attended the rally, described the role of SNAs as “vitally important”.

“It’s important that we are moving and working together, including elected representatives, boards of management, staff, parents and children all singing from the same hymn sheet,” he said.

While welcoming the pause, he called for the SNA role to be expanded. “From my professional experience as a special educational needs teacher, I know first-hand the value of SNAs to children with additional needs. They are doing far more than their contracts state. I would like to see their role expanded and properly reflected going forward.”

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The protest had been organised before the Government announced it would pause a controversial review and reallocation of SNAs for the coming academic year. While it has since confirmed that reductions will not take place for the 2026/27 school year, campaigners say the pause does not go far enough, and that uncertainty remains for families in the years ahead.

The demonstration concluded with a renewed call for long-term certainty in special education provision, with local councillors insisting that while a pause has been secured, the fight for guarantees and expanded supports will continue.