The Government has shown “utter disregard for children” through its special needs assistant (SNA) review and should stop the controversial process rather than implement a pause, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) issued letters to several schools advising them that they could lose part of their SNA allocation. Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week, Ms McDonald denied that the coalition had shown “leadership” by pausing the process. "They clearly don't fully understand, or appreciate, or even value the work that SNAS do day in and day out. “For those of us who are not unionists, Derry is Derry, is Derry.

Source: Irish Examiner February 22, 2026 16:09 UTC