Special needs assistants (SNAs) have highlighted situations where they are being tasked with work outside of their job description, including the laying of concrete and cleaning out fish tanks.

The issue was brought to the attention of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education in June, prompting the committee’s chair, Paul Kehoe, to describe the practise as ‘degrading’.

Fórsa has said assigning inappropriate work to SNAs has a negative impact on their primary caring role for children with special education needs. The Oireachtas committee was taking evidence on the need for revised criteria for SNA qualifications.

Addressing the Oireachtas committee, Fórsa official Shane Lambert said the union was aware of SNAs who had been asked to carry out gardening work, clean fish tanks, clean out lockers, mop floors, wash cars, and act as car park attendants.

“This has taken the SNAs away from the role they should have with the children. It breaks down goodwill in the school and damages relationships,” he said.

Shane said a minimum education qualification would set the tone of respect that SNAs deserve.

“While the vast majority of schools have very much come on board and have shown over the years that they have evolved and value their SNAs, this would eliminate the potential in those areas, which are minor but still create significant problems,” he said.

Mr Kehoe said he was taken aback by news of such incidents, citing the cleaning of a fish tank in particular.

“On what grounds did a teacher, principal or someone else instruct the SNA to perform that function? I find that totally degrading. I do not know what the background was but any principal or teacher who instructs an SNA doing a fantastic job to carry out such a task, unless it is part of an exercise to teach children how to do it, does not deserve to be a principal or a teacher,” he said.

Fórsa SNA Linda O’Sullivan told the committee that the duties undertaken by SNAs had drifted far beyond the needs outlined in job descriptions and official circulars.

“There is an assumption by the Department of Education (regarding) the low educational qualification for entry into our occupation. It is not classed as a profession, which is a situation that belies the complexity, skills and training needed to do our jobs,” she said.

Linda said non-teaching school staff deserved the same respect as teachers and principals.”

Read a transcript of the Oireachtas hearing HERE.