The majority of special needs assistants (SNAs) held back at the start of the year have now been deployed to schools around the country.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny stated that the individuals have now been placed into the systems, after cutbacks to the education sector drew protests in recent weeks, the Irish Examiner reports.

Around 475 SNAs were not assigned to children at the start of the school year, but were instead held back in order to cover any emergencies.

Mr Kenny said: "There were ten per cent held back for a very good reason, for cases of where sickness may occur or injury or new pupils."

He added that the majority of these have now been allocated to assist special needs students, using the appropriate guidelines from the Department of Education.

Last month, president of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation Noreen Flynn warned that these pupils would be the hardest hit by this year's budget cuts, which could see them receive limited access to an SNA.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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