Demonstrations planned to take place across Ireland today (June 26th) regarding special needs education are to go ahead.

Members of the Special Needs Parents Association have voted in favour of pressing ahead with the protests, despite Education Minister Ruairi Quinn revealing that proposed cuts in extra teaching support for pupils with special educational needs will no longer be implemented in September. 

Mr Quinn also explained a steering group is to be established, which will consider the allocation model for special education over the summer. 

Lorraine Dempsey, chairperson of the association, said that while Mr Quinn's announcement that 500 more resource teaching posts will be allocated to cater for the needs of 4,000 extra pupils is welcome, resource hours is not the only issue facing parents and schools.

She said the group also needs to "highlight the problem relating to Special Needs Assistants (SNA) provision, which will be further exacerbated by having to share the allocations with an extra 2,000 children requiring SNA support".

Written by Donal Walsh

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