Ministers launch landmark Workforce Development Plan for SNAs
- Foilsithe: 3 Meitheamh 2026
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 3 Meitheamh 2026
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of State with Responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion Michael Moynihan have today launched the first ever Special Needs Assistant (SNA) Workforce Development Plan, a landmark roadmap for the future development and professionalisation of the SNA workforce.
The plan is the culmination of more than two years of extensive research, engagement and consultation, with SNAs and their representative bodies at the heart of its development. Through the first national survey of SNAs, which attracted responses from more than 13,000 SNAs, alongside focus groups and stakeholder engagement, the plan has been co-designed with those working in the role every day.
Built around five strategic pillars, the plan recognises the vital contribution SNAs make to supporting children and young people with additional educational needs and enabling their full participation in school life. It sets out a clear framework to strengthen and support SNAs through enhanced professional development, greater role clarity, workforce sustainability measures and stronger collaboration across school communities.
The SNA workforce has grown significantly in recent years and now includes almost 25,000 staff across primary, post-primary and special schools. The plan provides a clear direction for the future of the service, ensuring it can continue to respond to the changing and emerging needs of students in a consistent, flexible and sustainable way.
Minister Naughton said:
“This Workforce Development Plan is a significant milestone for the SNA profession and for inclusive education. Most importantly, it has been shaped through extensive consultation and genuine co-design with SNAs and their representatives. Their experience, expertise and insights have been central to the development of this plan.
”The 25,000 SNAs working in our schools play an essential role in supporting children and young people with additional educational needs and helping them to participate fully in school life. Every day they make a real difference to students, families and school communities across the country.
“This plan recognises the importance of their work and sets out a clear vision for the future development of the profession. It will strengthen professional learning opportunities, support workforce sustainability and provide greater clarity around the role and ensure that the SNA service continues to evolve to meet the needs of students and schools.”
Minister Naughton continued:
“I also want to reiterate an important point. No school will see a reduction in its SNA allocation for the coming school year. Furthermore, I would like to confirm that from September 2027, no school will experience a reduction of more than one SNA in any single year. This approach reflects the feedback I received from SNAs, parents and school communities regarding the potential for sudden or significant changes in staffing levels following future reviews. Our objective is to provide certainty and reassurance to schools, while also ensuring that resources are deployed where they are most needed.”
Concluding, Minister Naughton said:
“I would like to thank the thousands of SNAs who shared their views and experiences throughout this process, as well as their representative organisations, school leaders, teachers, parents, stakeholders and the children and young people whose voices helped shape this important plan.”
Welcoming the publication of the Plan, Minister Moynihan said:
“SNAs are a pivotal part of our education system, supporting children with additional needs access their education. Having met many SNAs, I’ve seen the incredible difference they make in classrooms and across whole school communities. Families hold them in incredibly high regard and for good reason as they are a vital part of a child's school life.
"The role of an SNA has evolved over the years, as have our schools. We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to support our SNAs in their daily work.
"That is why this new plan is such an important milestone. It gives SNAs clearer roles, better opportunities to learn and a more sustainable workforce, all while keeping the focus on helping young people thrive in school.
"I want to thank everyone who put their time, energy, and professionalism into creating this first workforce plan. The teamwork between SNAs, school management and Fórsa has been brilliant, showing just how dedicated everyone is to supporting students with special educational needs. I look forward to us all continuing to work together to fulfil the actions set out in this plan.”
Implementation of the plan is expected to contribute to improved outcomes for children and young people, enhanced workforce supports and employment stability for SNAs, greater clarity for school communities and increased consistency of practice across schools.
Notes for Editor
The Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan 2026–2037 is the first national workforce development framework for SNAs.
The Special Needs Assistants Workforce Development Unit (SNAWDU) was established in 2022 and adopted a strategic approach to SNA policy development with the objective of developing an enhanced SNA service which delivers the best outcome for children and young people with special education needs in our schools.
The SNA workforce has grown to almost 25,000 staff across primary, post-primary and special schools.
The plan was developed through extensive consultation and collaboration with education stakeholders.
Consultations undertaken included:
Reports on all of the above consultations are available on the department’s website on gov.ie.
The plan introduces policy developments under the five strategic pillars to bring clarity and direction to the SNA workforce:
- Review and development of the SNA role
- Establishment of a Quality Framework
- Development of a national Learning and Development Programme
- Supporting recruitment, retention and diversity
- Development of a communications strategy
In addition, the plan includes the following key outputs:
- A new circular on the role of the SNA developed in collaboration with stakeholders including SNAs, school management bodies and Fórsa, the trade union representing SNAs.
- A SNA Redeployment Scheme
- A review of the SNA employment contract
The plan supports the continued development of inclusive education and aims to strengthen supports for children and young people with additional educational needs.
Overall, the plan includes consideration of how best school leaders, teachers and SNAs can work together to ensure that they are supported to provide the most effective service to children with significant care needs in our schools.
