Irish Government Allocates Additional €19 Million for Special Needs Assistants

The Irish government, concluding several days of coalition negotiations, announced the allocation of an additional €19 million to fund Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) for the current year. The decision by ministers Hildegarde Naughton and Michael Moynigan is intended as a guarantee that there will be no reductions in the level of this support in schools for the 2025/2026 school year. Previously, as part of a routine allocation review conducted by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), around 200 schools received notifications about the potential need to reduce the number of assistants, sparking immediate opposition from parents and teaching communities. The SNA assistant program was introduced in Ireland in the early 1990s as a cornerstone of inclusive education policy, which replaced the previous segregation of children with disabilities into special schools. Its establishment was the result of both national campaigns for the rights of persons with disabilities and broader international trends in special education pedagogy.Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of State for Special Education Michael Moynigan suspended the review process to calm the situation. „We want to reassure parents, pupils and schools that there will be no reductions to SNA supports in the coming school year.” — Hildegarde Naughton and Michael Moynigan The government explains that the additional funds are necessary due to the constant increase in the number of students qualifying for assistance, driven by better diagnostics and a consistent policy of inclusion.19 mln € — in additional SNA funding for 2026The decision, however, was met with sharp criticism from trade unions. A representative of the Fórsa union, representing many assistants, described the amount as a 'band-aid solution.' The criticism concerns the lack of a long-term funding plan that would solve problems with insecure contracts, high staff turnover, and a chronic mismatch between resources and real needs. Government stance vs. trade union criticism: Perception of the €19m allocation: a temporary band-aid solution (Fórsa) → a guarantee of support stability (Government); Diagnosis of the problem: chronic structural underfunding → a response to the growing number of students needing helpA broader debate about government priorities was sparked by a column by Lorraine Courtney in the Irish Independent. The journalist accused the coalition of hypocrisy, consisting of simultaneously promoting universal, costly social programs – such as free textbooks and school meals for all primary school students – and considering savings on support for the most needy students. In her opinion, 'basic needs' should not be sacrificed for 'nice extras.' This argument resonates with parents of children with disabilities, who have been campaigning for years for greater recognition of the role of SNAs. Chronology of events regarding SNA funding: 23 February — Alarm begins; 23 February, evening — First reports of government decision; 24 February — Official confirmation and criticismThe parents' perspective is crucial for understanding the tensions. An article in the Irish Independent presents the story of a mother from Limerick who is herself an SNA assistant and the mother of a child requiring such support. She emphasizes that 'inclusion cannot exist without support.' Her voice is representative of thousands of Irish families for whom the assistant is an essential link enabling their child's education on equal terms. The current government decision, while temporarily calming the situation, does not end the discussion about the future of special education funding in Ireland, which remains a field of continuous struggle between parental expectations, budgetary constraints, and social policy goals.