Statement on SNA allocations 2026/27

AsIAm, Ireland's Autism Charity, welcomes the announcement by government that no school will lose SNA access in the 2026/27 academic year and that any school which has been allocated additional resources will retain them.

Whilst this clarity will no doubt be a source of relief to students and families across the country, it comes after an entirely unnecessary period of stress and worry, following a pattern of unclear and concerning announcements by the Department of Education and Youth.

It is now of critical importance that the Department engage with disabled people and their organisations without delay on any proposed changes to the programme for 2027/28. At the heart of any future reform must be meeting the support needs of Autistic children by:

- Reviewing and updating the 2014 circular on the role of the SNA to ensure that it fully accounts for the support needs of Autistic children.

 - Appropriately resourcing the programme on this basis; and

- reviewing, developing and resourcing the full suite of supports available to schools, including therapeutic supports and mandatory training, in assessing and meeting the needs of Autistic children within the system.

We look forward to meeting with the Department of Education and Youth in the near future to emphasise the importance of this approach. In the context of ongoing proposed reform of how Autistic people are supported in Irish society, it is clear that the rights of Autistic people to access timely identification, recognition and support remain at risk and require urgent protection.

Schools which will now retain their existing level of SNA support in the coming academic year must retain the right to appeal that allocation should they feel the profile of needs in their school has increased and each application should be considered in full on this basis.

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