Tipperary councillor says new SNA guidelines could impact job security for local teachers

A Tipperary councillor has voiced his concerns over the new NCSE SNA guidelines, arguing that it could impact the job security and stability of thousands of special needs assistants in schools across the country.

In April 2025 Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan TD, announced that work to establish a Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) Redeployment Scheme had started.

This initiative is now at an advanced stage.

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The latest update from the NCSE stated that " the SNA Redeployment Scheme will be operated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), who are responsible for managing the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools and for ensuring SNA resources are allocated to the children with the greatest level of need".

"Implementation of the SNA Redeployment scheme will start during the 2025/26 school year shaped by feedback from a broad range of stakeholders. It is important to note that SNAs in surplus posts identified through the NCSE’s SNA Review process will remain in the relevant school for the rest of the academic year.

"Subject to identification of a suitable vacancy and assuming no change to SNA allocations in the meantime, they will subsequently be redeployed to a new post in September 2026."

Independent Cllr John O'Heney used the second annual SNA Appreciation Day, which fell on Thursday September 25, to voice his concerns over the redeployment scheme.

He warned that the NCSE "risk undermining both job security for SNAs and essential support for children with additional needs".

"SNAs are the backbone of inclusion in our schools," Cllr O'Heney continued.

"They are there when children need care, learning support, or simply a trusted adult to feel safe. Yet these new guidelines put that at risk.

"Under the changes, schools judged to have a “surplus” of SNAs will lose posts to redeployment from 2026.

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"Reviews will focus on whole-school provision rather than individual needs, spreading SNAs thinner across classrooms.

"Behaviour support — a core part of what SNAs do every day to keep children safe and regulated — is no longer recognised.

"For children, this means losing the stability of a familiar SNA, and those with behaviours of concern may be left without support altogether. At the end of the day, when SNAs are undervalued or stretched too thin, it’s children with additional needs who suffer most," O’Heney continued.

Minister Helen McEntee has pointed to plans for 400 new special classes and additional special school places, and has defended redeployment as a way to balance resources.

"While these commitments sound positive, they do not address the immediate reality that children could lose vital support and SNAs face insecurity," O’Heney said.

He concluded: "Every child deserves to feel supported, safe, and included. Every SNA deserves respect and job security.

"These new guidelines fail on both counts. I am calling for a pause, full consultation, and a guarantee that no child currently in need will lose out."

There are over 23,000 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) working in the Irish education system currently.

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