No forgiveness: that was the message I received from a parent yesterday about the attempted SNA cuts. On 6 February, the Minister proudly announced funding for 45 special schools. The announcement read, "Every child deserves to reach their full potential." Three weeks later, the Government moved to strip SNA support from thousands of children across the country. Is it a question of every child or only those children who fit the spreadsheet? On 7 February, at the Fine Gael disability conference in Galway, the right words were spoken. After the applause faded, the photographs were taken. Was it intended to make the announcement, host the conference and quietly reduce the supports once attention shifted? That was a miscalculation. It did not rely on principles or reckon on teachers, SNAs and parents saying "No more cuts". Here in the Oireachtas, if a Member has additional needs, support is provided without hesitation. No one is told to manage with less. Why is that not the same for the children in our education system? Parents are already exhausted, fighting daily for basic services. The Government relies on that exhaustion. It hopes families are too tired to resist. There was an effort to take away another piece of stability the SNAs had. We do not need cuts; we need planning, strategic and systemic change and respect for children with additional needs. The next time the Government says "every child", I hope it means it. Families will not forget and will not forgive.

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