Donegal schools to maintain SNA allocation for 2026/27 academic year

Schools in Donegal and across the country will receive the same Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations in the upcoming academic year, it has been confirmed.

Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan TD, announced there will be no reductions to SNA allocations for the 2026/27 school year.

The Department of Education initially “paused” the review of SNA allocations following the public backlash from opposition, trade unions, parents and teachers. It has now been confirmed that the number of SNAs allocated will not be reduced and €19 million will be allocated to fund the decision.

The reversal ensures that all schools reviewed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and allocated additional SNA resources will receive them in full. “Stability in SNA provision is essential for children’s learning, wellbeing, and inclusion, and the announcement offers much-needed reassurance to parents and schools,” Fianna Fáil Donegal TD Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher said.

“Once these policy documents are finalised and published, the NCSE will begin its review process for the 2027/28 academic year, ensuring that future allocations continue to be based on the needs of children and uphold the integrity of the allocation process.”

A redeployment scheme, a workforce development plan and the revised circular for SNAs will be published. Following this, NCSE will begin reviewing schools for the 2027/28 academic year, according to the department. 

“Government has agreed that the SNA redeployment scheme, the SNA workforce development plan and changes to a 2014 circular outlining the role of an SNA will be advanced before any further decisions are taken,”  Fianna Fáil’s Minister of State for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue, commented. “The priority will be ensuring that the child-centred approach to the provision of special education is retained and enhanced in these policy developments.

“After these key documents are agreed and published, the NCSE can commence reviews of supports provided to schools for the 2027/28 academic year, which will uphold the integrity of the process, which allocates supports based on the needs of children.

“I know that this was an issue of immense concern and stress for schools and many families, so I very much welcome the decision not to make reductions to special needs assistants for the next school year.” 

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Independent councillor Jimmy Brogan highlighted the unnecessary strain that the uncertainty puts families under. 

“However, serious questions remain about how this situation arose in the first place. Families of children with special educational needs were subjected to unnecessary stress, anxiety and uncertainty. This caused unnecessary upset, anger and hurt among parents and teachers who feared vital supports would be taken away from children who need them.

“We must now establish how these decisions were made and ensure that such mistakes are never repeated. Families should never again be placed in a position where they have to fight to protect essential supports for their children. 

“There should be a child-centred approach to special education provision, one that prioritises the needs, wellbeing and potential of every child. Furthermore, access to Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy must be guaranteed for any child who requires these services. These supports are essential to enable children to thrive and participate fully in school life.

“This has again shown that people have the power to change these disastrous decisions which are being made by our government and we must continue to hold them to account.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme