Special needs assistants ballot for industrial action

Special needs assistants (SNAs) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over delayed allocations to school posts.

The ballot was conducted by the Impact trade union following complaints over the late allocation of jobs for SNAs just a matter of months before the start of the school year.

SNAs claim the late notice causes anxiety over job security and prolongs the uncertainty for an unreasonable period of time.

In July, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that almost 1,000 additional SNAs would be appointed to schools around the country in September, bringing the total number up to nearly 14,000.

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The Taoiseach also pledged that provision of SNAs would be decided as part of the normal estimates process for schools in October rather than during the summer months, as has happened over recent years.

The ballot was announced by Impact in July, on the same day as the Government announced the extra positions and gave commitments for earlier allocations.

The result of the ballot provides SNAs with a mandate to impose industrial action on foot of a week’s notice, although they may choose not to depending on how satisfactorily they feel their complaints are dealt with.