A Monaghan councillor is calling on the National Council for Special Education and the Minister for Education Helen McEntee to ensure that every school in Ireland has adequate SNA cover.
Cllr Bronagh McAree outlined the importance of having this in place for the commencement of the new school year in August.
The local representative is also asking that the minister to provide assurance that the new SNA redeployment scheme will "not impede" on schools ability to provide adequate SNA cover for the duration of the schemes roll out.
The Sinn Fein representative brought her concerns to the fore due to fears expressed to her by a number of local families.
Just this week, Cllr McAree was informed that the newly built ASD unit at Corracrin National School which was due to be opened back in September would not be opening.
She says the local school community has been left "devastated" by this news, however she is "hopeful" that a resolution can be found.
Cllr McAree said; "To decide that they're not going to open the junior special needs class and leave it it lying idle just doesn't make any sense. We are hopeful of a resolution and that this new unit will be opened in full come September.
"This is something that we will continue to push and fight for the families who have been left devasted this week by the news. The excitement and the atmosphere was great around the school, people are very excited and proud of this new unit and for the whole school community we've just been left devasted and we are infuriated."
"The reason given for this is that only eight out of 12 places have been filled for the new unit, but I know that people are crying out for places and eventually those places will be be filled but to decide that the new unit won't open at all doesn't make sense. School's can't do anything, their hands are tied, it's the National Council for Special Education who is not providing the SNA support which is needed."
