Ciara Reilly

The SNA debacle: The 13 things that should happen next So, here it is.

Grateful to have had two shout-outs for my Substack on the floor of Dáil Éireann this week.
Here’s my most recent piece on where we need to go next. Beyond pauses, optics, and blame, and toward real structural change. open.substack.com/pub/ciararei... #edchatie

Ciara Reilly: Power shift behind SNA U-turn exposes Government's weakness The Government’s climbdown on SNA allocations reveals fragile leadership, weak reform planning, and deep mistrust in special education policy

I'm writing in today's Irish Examiner on what this SNA U-turn tells us about this government coalition. Spoiler alert: it's not good. www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm... #edchatie

Flooding the Zone I want to flag something we are seeing again and again in recent commentary from the Taoiseach.

A post where I analyse a most frustrating exchange between Holly Cairns and the Taoiseach open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

I'll take it

They pressed pause. Now what. It’s the morning after the great SNA review fallout of 2026, and I thought I would pen down where we are in the aftermath.

4. Finally, my latest piece from this morning with a whole lot of "now whatness?" fleshed out.

open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

#edchatie

A Pause Is Not A Plan I see they’ve paused the SNA review announcements.

3. My immediate response to the pause announcement yesterday afternoon:

open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

#edchatie

The era of the SNA as we knew it is over. It's time to lower class size. So where are we after yesterday’s post?

2. Further commentary from Sunday with follow on from the previous post:

open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

#edchatie

SNA cuts: This Did Not Come Out Of Nowhere The SNA cuts in Ireland are being rolled out thick and fast this month.

My analysis of the SNA cuts/freeze as covered in my Substack over the past couple of days:

1. From last Saturday open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

#edchatie

Ciara Reilly: Definition of need has changed to save money on SNAs Pause to planned special needs assistant allocation review feels neither reassuring nor meaningful. We’ll be here again unless big changes happen, writes teacher Ciara Reilly

Wrote this for the Examiner today.

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

#edchatie

Thanks @primedteacher.bsky.social for writing this passionate piece for us today

On Instagram. And yes, with the former Junior Minister for Special Ed.

The irony.

Her post was personally devastating to me, and countless others. I'm fortunate to have a loyal community who care deeply about education and disability matters.

I am always careful with my words and deliberately phrased my comment to be as respectful as I could.
We must be able to respond to our politicians and their actions. This isn't a totalitarian state. I am glad I said what I did. I stand over it completely.

I’m deeply disappointed to see that my comment, along with all others on Norma Foley’s post, has been removed. For context, here it is again.

Ain't that the truth. That named individual from the Primetime Investigates special is still issuing reports, and still targeting schools and families.

Btw - I hope our schools (and Union) are ready for this. Mark my words. As "needs" assessments start to replace AON, our teachers will be involved in a formal way. This is the logic behind the educational element of AON now. It's a slow drip. I know it. #edchatie

I didn't even lay into the stage of Kilkenny hurling yet! I may stay. Three red cards!

Our private assessment is far superior. Our AON didn't have the type of full diagnostic testing you might expect. You'd get Wechsler, Bayley, ABAS-III, Achenbach (parents/childminder completed) and ADI-R and ADOS etc in the past. Not now.

In case I disappear again - I'm here on the other place. I give out less there. www.instagram.com/ciarareillyt...

We waited over two years for it, and are now 16 months waiting on the service statement that should immediately follow it. I fully expect us to pass a 4 year wait, all in.

On occasion, I miss the rage of d'other place. That tail!

So yeah. This platform. Did it take off? Worth hanging around?

I mean, I need a platform that isn't just my Instagram to share my usual stream of frustration with this government *and* to state the obvious - yes, Ana the Jack Russell was absolutely robbed at Crufts. Robbed.

a woman is peeking out from behind a tree and says `` miss me yet '' . ALT: a woman is peeking out from behind a tree and says `` miss me yet '' .

Didn't use this platform in months and straight in, I'm giving out.

The days of the AON are numbered, the only way they'll ever get through that 14,000 waiting list is by eliminating it. This is already happening with the autism protocol. They're only delighted that so many of us have gone private for our assessments! This is the model! Their choice! Privatisation.

I fully expect that my daughter will get no serviced therapies from the State in the five years of this government. We have eliminated all expectation of this, regardless of how challenging she finds day to day life. Her childhood is lost to the system now. That's going to be it.

It’s difficult to fully convey the depth of neglect and isolation felt by those of us with children who have high care needs. The loneliness is overwhelming. There is no State help. We completed our AON in November '23. It's March '25 and we have NO service statement. You're all alone in this.

A screenshot of an X message from disabilities minister Norma Foley after a media appearance on RTÉ Radio 1. She is sitting at a table and smiling.

A screenshot of a comment I added to her Instagram post to share my concern with her.

I understand that politicians need to share their media appearances, but I was shocked that Minister Norma Foley seemed so pleased after that harrowing hour of radio yesterday. That brave mother shared nothing but isolation and despair, yet after it, the Minister posts about her delight.

I love Áine Lawlor. 😂 #GE24

Spoiler: It is a roadmap that leads to...nowhere.