New panel system will deliver a sense of security for Special Needs Assistants

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has welcomed the announcement of a Supplementary Assignment Panel for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD, under the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement.

“The introduction of a redeployment panel is a new departure for the Department of Education, and one which will deliver a level of security for SNAs that until now had been missing. The fact that a panel will now be in place, to complement the existing redundancy scheme for SNAs, means that a fairer system of redeployment will be conducted and the level of experience that our SNAs have built up can be harnessed for future positions.

“Under the scheme, any SNA who is appointed to a new position from the panel will be able to carry forward their service from their previous employment, which means that they will not have to begin again at the bottom increment, but will instead be able to continue receiving increments at their previous level. In the instance that an SNA is redeployed via the panel and applies for redundancy down the line, they will also be permitted to include their previous service in their calculations.

“These new arrangements will be backdated to apply from 1st May 2013 of this year and will apply to all SNAs who have at least one year’s permanent service. I would urge any SNA who is in line to be made redundant to ask their employer to complete the Special Needs Assistants Supplementary Assignment form without delay as if the application form is not processed vacancies will be filled in the usual way, which means that the SNA in question is in real danger of losing out.

“The panel will remain live until 1st June 2014, after which point redundancy payments will be processed in the usual way. I welcome the opportunity the introduction of this panel will bring to SNAs who are being made redundant as the possibility of them securing employment at another school is being significantly increased. The Department of Education has committed to fully reviewing the operation of the panel in advance of the 2014/15 school year and I would encourage all SNAs who are due to be made redundant not to delay in having forms filled out and processed as quickly as possible.”

Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD

Tuesday, 2nd July 2013