A local councillor has said he fears a number of Donegal schools could lose their Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).<\/p>\n
Inishowen representative, Cllr Ali Farren, says one principal informed him that their allocation has been almost cut in half. And the 100% Redress Party member has said he fears more Donegal schools could be hit.<\/p>\n
He was speaking after the principal told him they received confirmation of the cuts this week from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).<\/p>\n
Cllr Farren added he got an email from a concerned parent this morning in relation to the same issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere appears to be a thinking in Dublin that we can do with less SNAs in our schools,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour SNAs in a school looking after 28 children and it\u2019s being reduced to 2.5 SNAs, and that\u2019s just one school. And I\u2019m led to believe that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg and there are a lot more of these letters on the way out to principals to tell them that they will be losing, or could be losing, SNAs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cllr said that SNAs are a \u2018vital\u2019 part of the service schools across the county provide. He compared the latest cuts to the impending loss of the afternoon flights at Donegal Airport and the defective block scandal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey (government) give us so much, but they make it much more difficult to deliver the right package,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always down to the people on the street to make some noise, unfortunately, and we shouldn\u2019t have to do it. Principals are very, very concerned about this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cllr Farren said he has spoken to his party leader, Deputy Charles Ward, who hopes to raise the issue in Dublin.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s vital that all the SNAs in Inishowen, and Donegal, are retained,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Donegal councillor fears \u2018potential\u2019 loss of SNAs in local schools was last modified: February 12th, 2026 by Staff Writer<\/p>\n
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