Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Government "will not over-dwell" on resolving the special needs assistant (SNA) places controversy, despite declining to give an exact timeline for when schools and families will be told what supports they will receive.
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.
Speaking to RTÉ News at an event at Cambridge University, after Minister of State for Special Education Michael Moynihan was criticised by Opposition parties for failing to say when the issue will be resolved, Mr Martin said "we'll now examine the matter".
However, the Taoiseach declined to give a specific timeline for an end to the controversy, instead saying there is time to find a solution as SNA alllocation disagreements normally occur closer to "May or June".
"Obviously there's a pause in respect of the review that's under way, that by necessity demands a bit of time in terms of next steps, and there will be engagement between the ministers and the National Council of Special Education and Department of Education officials, and obviously at leadership level we will discuss it as well," Mr Martin said.
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He added: "There should be regular reviews about deployment of all resources in education because demands change.
"That’s natural, but I think the problem was there hadn't been a general review in quite some time and the outcome of the initial phase of that review was to try and correct something that had not in occurred in several years.
"That, in my view, is not a tenable position and that's why we've asked the officials to pause and we'll now examine the matter."
Asked if he wanted to provide a specific timeline for when the matter will be resolved, Mr Martin said:
"We're actually much earlier than last year, ordinarily you're looking at May or June when these notifications went out as to the various allocation of SNAs to schools.
"We're now in February and we're not going to obviously over-dwell on this in terms of timelines.
"I can't give specific dates, but we will work on this we have time to get it right, and as I've already said those schools where an additional need has been identified will receive that additional help."
Mr Martin was speaking with reporters after attending the announcement of the first chair of Irish history at Cambridge University.
The appointment of Prof Alvin Jackson to the role is funded by a €4 million endowment from the Ireland reconciliation fund, with the position named after former president Erskine Childers and his revolutionary father Robert Erskine Childers, both of whom were educated at Cambridge University.
Speaking at the event at the Trinity College section of the historic institution, both the Taoiseach and the vice chancellor of Cambridge University Prof Deborah Prentice stressed the close ties between Ireland and the UK and the importance of reconciliation across communities.
'No point' in giving SNA review completion date, says Moynihan
Earlier, Minister Moynihan said there is "no point" in announcing a target completion for a review SNA allocations.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he also repeatedly refused to say when an ongoing SNA review would be finished, amid schools' concerns that their allocation could be cut in September.
Minister Moynihan also refused to say if he expected any schools to lose SNAs.
He said the communication was "wrong" and there was a need "for a far better system" and that 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."
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.
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Government accused of 'making it up as they go along'
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance 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."
Additional reporting PA
