There is "no point" in announcing a target completion for a review of special needs assistant (SNA) allocations, Minister of State for Special Education Michael Moynihan has said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Moynihan also repeatedly refused to say when an ongoing SNA review would be finished, amid schools' concerns that their allocation could be cut in September.
Mr Moynihan also refused to say if he expected any schools to lose SNAs.
The Department of Education "paused" a review of allocations after a public backlash and outcry from opposition TDs, teachers, parents and trade unions.
It came after the National Council for Special Education issued letters to several schools advising them that they could lose part of their SNA allocation.
Mr Moynihan said the communication was "wrong" and there was a need "for a far better system".
He said the Department said it would engage intensively with schools individually.
Mr Moynihan said: "We cannot proceed with this because the (school) system does not have confidence in it."
Asked if any school would lose an SNA in September, Mr Moynihan said: "The process is now paused."
He said the Department would ensure there is "no cliff edge".
"There will be no decisions made, the entire process is paused which means whatever communication there was heretofore, there will be new communication."
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Pressed on whether that means the notified schools would not lose SNAs, Mr Moynihan reiterated that the process had been paused.
After initially stating that the process would be done in "a number of weeks" and "as soon as possible", Mr Moynihan declined to give a specific date.
"There's no point coming out and saying to you it will be done in a number of days, a number of weeks - it will be done properly."
The minister repeatedly refused to say if any schools would lose SNAs or how many positions would be redeployed.
He said: "Let me be very clear, right? We have paused the entire process so therefore until that process is completely reviewed we will not be scaremongering, we will engage meticulously with all school communities and families that have contacted us."
However, he said schools who had been told they would get an additional allocation would still receive that support.
"We're increasing the number of SNAs," he added.
Government accused of 'making it up as they go along'
Sinn Féin Finance spokesman Pearse Doherty accused the Government of "making it up as they go along" and are refusing to answer "basic questions".
Mr Doherty said the Government needs to make a statement on the issue today to bring the "crisis" to an end.
The party will raise the issue on Tuesday to call for "long-overdue clarity and a direct apology to every school, SNA, and family that has been informed of a pending cut".
The party will bring forward a motion that will call for the "disastrous" SNA review to be abandoned, for a SNA Workforce Development Plan to be "urgently" published, and for a guarantee that no future changes will be made without "meaningful" engagement.
It will condemn the Government for "inflicting profound distress and anxiety on vulnerable children" and for reducing these children to a "checklist of tasks".
Speaking outside Leinster House, Mr Doherty said the "crisis of their own making" has caused confusion and distraught".
He said families have had "the rug pulled under them by their own Government".
"To hear the minister say today that there's no point given time frames talking about causes more confusion. It is not acceptable."
