23-07-2025
Wexford principal is at wits' end as he fights for SNA support for child with complex needs
A Wexford primary school principal says he's 'at his wits' end' while trying to resolve an anomaly that has resulted in a pupil with very complex needs being refused the continuation of their special needs assistant support as they transition from second class in their junior school to third class in the senior school next door. The student will make the move from the Catherine McAuley Junior School to Bunscoil Rís in September this year, which is the standard process in the schools once the students reach third class, and both schools are run by a joint Board of Management. However, the principal of Bunscoil Rís, Gerry Moran, is publicly calling on the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to re-allocate an SNA to the school that one of the pupil's had access to in second class, which he claims he has been fighting for since Easter, 2025. "As a primary school principal, I am at my wits' end trying to get some SNA support for a very complex child who will enrol in our school in September,' Mr Moran said. 'This is because of a simple anomaly, that the NCSE refuses to address, and his SNA will not transfer with him to the new school,' he said. Mr Moran explained that the case 'is so complex' that Middletown Centre of Autism in Monaghan will advise and support the school. 'They only support between five and seven pupils per year, yet the NCSE in Ireland will not allocate an SNA to our school that the pupil had in second class,' he said. 'The Middletown Centre for Autism understands the complexity of this pupil, yet the NCSE 'stands behind processes and procedures,' said Mr Moran. 'My understanding is that the Special Educational Needs Officer on the ground, who is excellent, and the team manager, who has promoted our case, both understand the issue, but line managers are stuck behind parameters. Our pupil does not fit into any parameters,' Mr Moran said. He said the NSCE is failing to recognise that the child will rely on their SNA, given their complex needs. In adding to the frustration of those involved in trying to provide adequate resources, a new application for SNA supports can only be made after the child has enrolled in the school. This is a process that could take months to be finalised and receive the new allocation of the supports.
'Despite numerous email communications with the local NCSE team manager for Wexford/Waterford, there seems to be no allocation forthcoming,' he said. 'The team manager stated that 'NCSE will continue to prioritise schools with no SNA access, schools with medically compromised or vulnerable children and highly complex cases'. I have explained that we are in this category of being a highly complex case, as the pupil in question had access to an SNA. I have been chasing this extra SNA support since Easter, and we are now at the middle of July and NCSE are refusing to make an allocation,' he said. Mr Moran commended the 'excellent' Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO), Selina Lynge, who he said has a 'clear understanding of the needs' in the school, however, he's struggling to comprehend the disconnect between the SENOs and their higher powers. The principal also claims that the allocation system is 'failing pupils'. In Budget 2023, the NCSE was allocated €13 million to support its Vision 26 transformation program, which involves organisational changes and recruitment, which was an additional €13 million, however, it's the view of the principal that 'the system seems to be as chaotic as ever.' 'It is extremely frustrating as a school principal that we must go to such lengths to beg the NCSE for resources. 'If this pupil was in a single stream school with classes from junior to sixth class, there would be no issue with his SNA in third class and as resources are not transferred, both the school and the child are penalised,' he said, adding that he has also contacted the leading members of other support services 'to see if they can help'. Bunscoil Rís currently has five classes for pupils with autism, and the NCSE has provided the required staffing including teachers and SNAs for the classes, which Mr Moran said the school is 'thankful' for, however, he noted that the allocation of the fifth class 'only came about after an incredibly difficult fight for resources'. 'I know from speaking with other local principals that many are frustrated by how the NCSE operates and dealing with them is like pulling teeth, just painful,' he said.
