Wexford Sinn Féin Councillors attend SNA Protest outside Leinster House

Two County Wexford Sinn Féin councillors attended a protest opposing cuts to special needs assistants in our schools outside Leinster House last Wednesday. Cllr Anthony Kelly and Cllr Johnny Mythen joined Sinn Féin TDs at the protest calling on the government to reverse these cruel cuts that have impacted on children with learning and behavioural difficulties across the nation.

“There can be no justification for these cuts,” Cllr Kelly said. “The government must recognise the devastating impact that these cuts are having on children who have special education and behavioural needs as well as on their families, who are struggling to cope, and on over-burdened teachers with responsibility for their learning. The foundations of this state are laid on the mantra that we must cherish all the children of nation equally. That has not happened in the past and will certainly not happen in the future if we tolerate these cuts aimed at the most vulnerable children of the land.”

Cllr Mythen said;
“If we tolerate these cuts aimed at the most vulnerable children in our country, then we will be feeling the negative effects of our tolerance for many decades to come. Everyone knows that our country is currently paying the price for years of economic mismanagement, and that we need to set our house in order. Does anyone outside the corridors of power really believe that cutting essential services for children who have special education and behavioural needs is the way to build a new nation? Getting rid of poorly paid sna's will certainly not solve our debt crisis. Condemning the most vulnerable children in the land to a hopeless future cannot improve our lot with the IMF. These sna cuts represent nothing but the ignorant stubbornness of an already failed government.”

“Sinn Féin hold commemorations every Easter where the words of the 1916 proclamation are read out. Perhaps Fine Gael and Labour have forgotten the words of our founding fathers. I would like to remind them that the proclamation stated that we must cherish all of the children of the nation equally. It is high time that this government got its priorities right and ensures that all of the children of this nation are cherished equally, regardless of their needs. This cannot happen if essential cuts to SNAs continue be a central tenant of government policy.”