Our issue is about a special school for special children. It is a good example of the uncertainty, fear and distress being created around this SNA issue. The school was told in writing it was losing an SNA and then it was told it was not. There were two emails, with one withdrawn in 40 minutes. The NCSE asked parents to fill in a form outlining the care needs of their child. It is a difficult form to fill in. It is about what is wrong with your child rather than what is right. If a parent fills in the form wrong, the child could lose his or her SNA; so no pressure. Parents were told forms were needed for review and then that they were not needed. Some 30 forms were left in the school; we have seen them. A signed parental consent form was needed and then not required. We are told this is a pause and that suggests this process will resume and the school could lose its SNA. The system that allocates SNAs is utterly opaque and parents, SNAs and many schools feel it is deliberately made that way. We need clarity and a defined approach that gives certainty. Parents should not have to fight every day for their special needs child.

Sentiment score: -0.04

The other worrying thing is that I believe there is a parental consent form, and that was not taken up either. We can furnish the Minister of State with the information in relation to this case but it raises issues as to whether this is happening in other schools. I have never heard of this type of thing happening before now. What is worrying is the point Deputy Murphy made in relation to the idea that there were too many adults. We are talking about a special school and special circumstances. The replies that seem to be in the letter itself are really worrying. However, it is the wider issue: how many schools are impacted by the fact that the forms have not been collected?

Sentiment score: -0.03