SNAsSpeakOut (Carol) #RespectForSNAs 💙
@SNAsSpeakOut
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SNA. Chair of NDNL SNA branch. We've been classed as a 'scheme' for 43 years. We are professionals. Views my own alone. #RespectForSNAs Tweets by @cags_mcs
Ireland
Joined June 2019
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Pinned Tweet
When are the Dept going to allow SNAs have a proper minimum standard for our qualifications?
We can't wait another four decades.
#RespectForSNAs
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I won't be popular today for saying this but attacks on Norma Foley for her appearance are not ok. I didn't see the same for male politicians. Challenge policies, by all means.
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My uncle/godfather died unexpectedly yesterday.
I won't be able to go to his funeral next week because SNAs don't get leave for aunt's and uncle's funerals.
Yet the people that we work with, teachers, do.
So tired of the lack of respect.
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If you're a parent please channel your anger at the Dept of Ed who didn't plan for another spike in transmission rates. Or turn on the government that opened up the economy at the beginning of Dec and caused this spike. I've enough of being polite while parents attack us.
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My timeline is full of school staff who contracted covid this week and will have to isolate for Christmas.
It's just heartbreaking. 💔
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SNA tests positive. They did intimate care work with vulnerable students. HSE told the school not to inform the families
We are being failed badly here. A close contact is a close contact, whether it happens at home or in school. By
@aoifegracemoore
School told maskless students were not close contacts with SNA despite 'intimate care level'
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I've stood in demonstrations outside the Dáil for ch with additional needs. I've petitioned govrnt for better conditions. I've attended meetings run by parents. I set up this acc. I went into the Dáil & met SF. I got a FOI request done to prove that SNAs were being let go in 2018
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Literally nobody is calling for children with additional needs with sensory issues to wear masks.
Stop the performative tweets. We see you.
School staff have spent the last 20 months calling for safety measures for these children, until we're hoarse. We won't stop.
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Department of education to issue advice on how schools will handle the storm next Friday.
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Dear
@Education_Ire
It takes a brass neck to dictate that SNAs must work extra, unnecessary hours in our schools when you're working from home.
We are in a pandemic and continuing to work with vulnerable children.
Don't think we don't see what you're doing.
#Respect4SNAs
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School in Meath has decided to close due to absence of HSE guidance after a number of positive cases.
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Thread: ⬇️
Dear Parents of children with additional needs
If you believe that people who have chosen to work with your children don't have their best interests at heart, then you might need to look at who is feeding you this information. 1/5
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Imagine being a parent who is caring for a vulnerable child.
Imagine going for counselling.
Imagine information that you divulge in confidence being given to the State to be used against you.
These families have been utterly failed.
@RTE_PrimeTime
#rtept
#RTEInvestigates
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Thank you
@MaryLouMcDonald
for speaking so accurately on
@TodaywithClaire
on of the lack of planning by the Dept of Education. Parents are caught in the middle. SNAs are worn out. There are no winners but we need to find a solution that involves those of us that work in AEN ed.
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So
@MichealMartinTD
plans to completely open up society but push back vaccination of SNAs and education staff?
Apparently it's vital to the economy that schools stay open but not that staff stay well.
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I'm too tired to be angry at how badly the schools situation has been handled. When the dust is settled we need to hold to account those to perpetuated the 'schools are safe' myth and why they maintained it despite all evidence to the contrary.
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SNAs choose to work with children with additional needs. We advocate for them all the time.
All the new experts in SEN education who are suddenly evangelical about this subject need to take a step back.
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I took a complete rest this Christmas. The break included an unexpected marriage proposal. 💍
Looking forward to getting back the development of professionalisation of the role of the SNA, amongst other important issues, for the new SNA contract.
#HappyNewYear2024
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I'm one of the SNAs who didn't get paid for the home provision work that I finished up in May. I understand that I'll get paid in 2 weeks but I'm depending on that money to pay my child's schools fees. It would make me think twice about doing it again.
3 months wait is too long
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Imagine if doctors and nurses had to get their information on their working conditions from the HSE through patient advocacy groups on Twitter.
Because that's what's happening in education.
I'm glad parents have such good advocates but it's not a way to run a department.
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Well done to
@drivetimerte
on their fact checking re the inaccurate data that
@NormaFoleyTD1
stated yesterday.
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@Education_Ire
@NormaFoleyTD1
There are no winners in this situation. Please properly engage with all education staff, unions, parents and leaving cert students in future. Please also start planning properly rather than reacting defensively to changing situations. We ARE all in this together.
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Solidarity with teachers tonight. The media bashing is out of control. I'm blessed to have worked with super teachers for many years. Teachers who have always put children first. As they continue to do now.
#VaccinateToEducate
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....when the government we're trying to claim otherwise. I email the union regularly.
Do not jump into threads claiming I don't care about children with additional needs or lecturing me about SEN education.
Schools are not magically safe once you pass the school gate.
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#SNAs
often talk about lack of respect in our role working with vulnerable children.
But the fact that there is no mention of us being vaccinated even though we do intimate care work is beyond belief. It's CRUEL and dangerous.
#VaccinateSNAs
#Respect4SNAs
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Good luck to all the SNAs who are returning to the classroom today. 🙏💚
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I'll say it again. SNAs can not work 2m from the children we work with. Our classrooms are packed tight. The pod system is a fallacy. And it's worse for special schools.
👇
"Good procedures" don't change the reality of our schools.
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SNAs are Frontline workers too.
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Solidarity with all the
#SNAs
today who are 'last in' and worried about whether they have a job next September.
What a way to treat your staff
@NormaFoleyTD1
@josephamadigan
#ReleaseAllocationsNow
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I've counted today. At least 10 people I know have been diagnosed with covid in the last 48 hours. It's your personal decision as an SNA but I'd strongly advise wearing a mask and keeping windows open.
#StaySafe
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The policy of not deeming teachers and SNAs as close contacts when there's a case in their class has to stop.
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Beginning of term: batch cooked dinners made. Every stitch of clothing ironed and sorted.
End of term: haribo jellies for lunch and I'm lucky if my leggings aren't on inside out.
Happy mid- term break. 💚
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Good luck to all SNAs heading back today and tomorrow. You've been working behind the scenes and finally it's time to meet the children again. Stay safe.
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Tánaiste
@LeoVaradkar
on
@TodayFM
stating that 'we need to convince management and unions that schools are safe.'
#DermotAndDave
No. You need to MAKE them safe. 😠
There is a very important difference.
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Does
@drivetimerte
know SNAs exist? There's 17,000 of us.
In a segment on returning to school there is no mention of us. We work with the most vulnerable children.
#Respect4SNAs
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I think it would be good to connect SNAs together on Twitter.
Please like this tweet ONLY if you an SNA and you want to be followed by other Special Needs Assistants.
(Hope this works!) 🤔
Also check out the hashtag
#Respect4SNAs
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I was contacted today by parents of a child with additional needs that I used to work with. The child got into third level education.😭(happy tears) It's the best news I got in months. When the system works, it really works.
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As I head into school this morning I'm relying on the goodness of parents to let my principal or teacher know if we've been close contact to covid. I work between 2 classes and sit in the middle of over 50 9 to 11 year olds.
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Hundreds of Special Needs Assistants lost their jobs or had their jobs fragmented in May. Not one journalist has mentioned it. If it was a factory it'd be on
@rtenews
#Repect4Snas
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Next week (21st June) 8 SNAs will be going to the Dáil and appearing before the Oireachtas Education Committee. Four to speak, four to observe. This is a huge opportunity for SNAs to advocate for ourselves. I expect to hear great speeches. ✊
#RespectForSNAs
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Imagine being told only some nurses got vaccinated. It depended on where they worked.
That's what happened to
#SNAs
Our counterparts in the HSE got vaccinated. Those of us that work for the Dept of Ed didn't. We do the same intimate work.
#VaccinateSNAs
#VaccinateSchoolStaff
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There's something extremely wrong when a Dept of Health is releasing statements apologizing for vaccinating SNAs and teachers.
During a pandemic.
We need ALL SNAs teachers & essential workers vaccinated.
#VaccinateSNAs
#VaccinateToEducate
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Jennifer is a good journalist but her article on reopening schools yesterday was surprisingly poorly researched. Denmark has a pupil teacher ratio of 10.74, Ireland's is 25. I understand that it was an opinion piece but ⬇️( 1)
@jenoconnell
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Omicron still rife schools. Hearing from other SNAs that it's as bad as ever. Yet
@Newstalk
@kierancuddihy
have a teacher on who wants mask wearing to be removed in schools. 😮💨 Getting omicron is worse than wearing a mask.
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I've been asked to post anonymously. There's something very wrong with covid-19 inspectors talking to everyone in the school except the SNAs.
#Respect4SNAs
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For the children with covid in hospitals tonight. At least 26. Poor little things. May they recover quickly. 😮💨
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There's a serious amount of misinformation being peddled by the same few influential people.
The divide between parents and school staff has been created on purpose. It's a strategy. The repercussions of this strategy will affect AEN children for years to come. 5/5
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A great day for the parish! 😊
I'm more emotional and proud than I expected. Well done to all SNAs graduating from
@ucddublin
today.
It's not easy to study on top of work and family life. The standard of the course was excellent. ✊🏻
#RespectForSNAs
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@GCraughwell
I'm a woman and you sure as hell don't speak for me.
You are othering a minority group and portraying them as predators. Absolutely repugnant behaviour by you.
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I apologise if I didn't reply to a comment or missed a conversation. It's been a busy day. I think I got back to all the Direct Messages. Thank you, especially to parents who have messaged in support of SNAs. It really means a lot. We do care about your children, as ever.
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It would mean so much to us as SNAs if **parents** and **other school staff** would stand with us. 💪
We help children reach their potential. We get the necessary training.
It's time this was acknowledged by the Dept of Education
@Education_Ire
We reject the government’s refusal to recognise SNAs call for higher minimum qualification standards. We're calling on parents, principals and teachers to stand with SNAs by supporting our campaign for greater respect and recognition. Please share this message.
#RespectforSNAs
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It takes a massive amount of cognitive dissonance to say you support SNAs but then bash our union, who are the only group advocating for us.
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Hopefully one good result in the long term of this horrible situation is that children with additional needs will no longer have to fight to get a school place. Raised it here several times during the election. Hope news coverage of AEN education will continue.
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Fair play to
@MiriamOCal
for mentioning
#SNAs
on
@RTE_PrimeTime
@LeoVaradkar
ignored the word 'SNAs.'
A 30 year old working with a vulnerable children is definitely less safe than a 50 year old working from home.
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Not that my opinion counts for much but I'll be voting
#VoteYesNo
on Friday. Carer's (female & male) save the exchequer billions each year. For that, many of them live below the poverty line. People with disabilities also are sharing their disappointment with the wording 'strive'
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Catherine Corless has stood firm, ignored abuse and spoke the truth with implacable determination. The
#motherandbabyhomes
were responsible for institutionalised abuse of young mothers and defenseless babies. Solidarity with survivors always.💔
If your children ever ask you about heroism, tell them about Catherine Corless.
#motherandbabyhomes
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We need to turn down the temperature from every angle. I've had to block 20 accounts today. We need to work together in the future to improve Special Education now that it has been in the national spotlight. Bullying is never ok.
We need to turn down the temperature. The way our community has been treated here in recent days has often been vile. I do hope all educators will look at who they follow, what they have said and show how, using ‘unfollow’, ‘report’ and ‘block’ buttons that they reject bullying
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Thank you to
@bridsmithTD
for raising the fact that
#SNAs
have been advocating for children with additional needs for years.
#DailDebate
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Morning. SNAs got paid a day early. 😀
Even more importantly the increase in pay for SNAs at the top of the scale has now surpassed the clerical grade 3 payscale.
For the first time ever our rates have decoupled & an SNA can earn more than clerical grade 3 😊
#RespectForSNAs
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Unbelievable that there's a group of mainly female workers that still have no payslip, no pension & have to sign on for the summer.
They keep schools running.
#SupportOurSecretaries
#GiveSecsAPayslip
Not very feminist of the government who promised to regularize
@HMcEntee
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In Mike we trust.
What he says should be self evident. Please listen to Mike Ryan. He talks sense even from last November.
dr. mike ryan: wir brauchen eine langfristige, umfassende strategie!
we have to make decisions that are based on the best interests of our children: be it their educational or their health interests.
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It's been brought to my attention that some shock jocks are direct messaging SNAs and asking them to go on their shows.
I would suggest that SNAs don't. They're only trying to create controversy. We need to avoid divisiveness.
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@SimonHarrisTD
Have been calling for transparency in numbers of infections in schools for months now. The government has lost the trust of so many of us. They fudged the numbers, this is the result.
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This is a practical idea that might help some children?
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A very inaccurate statement was made today about SNAs during the special committee on Covid19 hearing.
SNAs do not start their salary at €33k a year. Nothing near that.
You don't need to denigrate another profession to get your point across. I don't want to start a pile on..⤵️
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'If schools close early it'll be very hard to get them open again in the New year.'
@PatLeahyIT
just said that on
@ClaireByrneLive
Can someone explain that statement to me? It doesn't make sense.
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I was in the audience for
#UpfrontkatieHannon
last night. I put my hand up to speak 3 times.
I've a friend who brought his child to Tralee library last July to hear a story about two knights who fall in love. Thanks to the far right pushing their way into the meeting by the end
Disgusting scenes in Tralee library today as known agitators break up story time with little kids and parents, physically pushing people over to enter the room. Horrific stuff.
Time for
@gardainfo
and Minister
@HMcEntee
to act.
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I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say............ this is what most SNAs look like on yard duty mid November. 😂
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SNAs saw this current fiasco coming. We tried to raise awareness for months. Nobody wanted to listen, especially the Dept of Education.
NOW the media are all over it and *some* media are blaming us.
#Respect4SNAs
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Some secretaries earn €12,000 per year. The same as the salary top up for the junior ministers. They were the fulcrum for many schools during lockdown.
#SupportOurSecretaries
.
One rule for Junior Ministers, a different rule for School Secretaries asking for equal pay
#supportoursecretaries
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1. Norway had its first national lockdown only a few weeks ago.
2. Class sizes are 1-15 ours is 1-27
3. The sample size is tiny.
Transmission rates between our two countries are not remotely comparible. By all means do reopen schools safely but don't gaslight us.
Important study from Norway- limited transmission of Covid19 in primary schools: ‘minimal child-to-child and child-to-adult transmission in primary schools...limited role of children in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in school settings’
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Why are journalists not challenging
@DonnellyStephen
on this statement which he repeats over and over again? In some classrooms the children are packed in. Contact tracers are claiming that kids catch it at home and won't countenance any idea that they got covid in school. ⬇️
“Kids are safer in school than out of school “ . Stephen Donnelly just making shit up at this point on radio 1. Comparing serial testing to community testing is apples and oranges
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Someone, anyone please tell me that
@Education_Ire
has a plan B in the event that cases rise (as they currently are) and the complete return of ALL children back to school is not possible.
#Respect4SNAs
This is not a joke. Our lives are at stake.
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@AodhanORiordain
@labour
The attacks on SNAs and teachers has been unrelenting. The blame should lie on the shoulders of the government. I see Carl O'Brien quoting a government source to say we are the first frontline staff to refuse to return to work. This is not helpful in any way.
#Respect4SNAs
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It's wonderful that businesses are reopening.
However please remember that SNAs and school staff are still working closely and intimately with vulnerable children.
They are still unvaccinated.
We are still in a pandemic, please don't act as if it's completely over.
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The SNA role should not be a scheme.
We are a profession.
Time to acknowledge it.
@Education_Ire
#Respect4SNAs
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Logging out for a week from social media. Thank you for all the info, interactions, laughs and venting of frustrations this year.. I don't like name checking accounts in case I leave someone out.
SNAs are the best bunch of people.
💚🎄⛄💪❤️
#Respect4SNAs
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Well done to
@lindaosull88
for appearing on
@rtenews
at 6pm and thanks to
@SamanthaLibreri
for giving us a chance to speak. Presume the report will be played again at 9pm.
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@ClaireByrneLive
The government making announcements about education through the media. It's happened throughout the pandemic. They would rather spin it was a 'win' than let us know in advance so we can plan before we are inundated with queries from parents and staff alike.
#Respect4SNAs
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I wasn't going to say anything but since
@GarNob
still hasn't
1. Apologised
2. Deleted his awful tweet
Then I wholeheartedly endorse Ruth's tweet.
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I mean it's not like school staff disperse up mountains and then have to be captured with butterfly nets. The lack of trust between
@Education_Ire
and School staff is a real casualty of this pandemic. Doesn't have to be that way.
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I'm sorry for all the tweets today. Hopefully SNAs have been heard. We want to do our jobs. We have a bond with the children that we work with.
@Education_Ire
Please listen to us and work with us and our Union.
#Respect4SNAs
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On a personal note. Last night a dear friend passed away. Adrienne was an SNA for 12 years. After allocations were cut she lost her job but we missed working with each other so we started an Summer Art Camp together. We didn't make any money because Adrienne spent so much money
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We stood in solidarity with refugees today in
#Dublin
. They are not responsible for the housing crisis or healthcare crisis.
@UnitedARacism
@forsa_union_ie
@apike1
@dyl_t96
#IrelandForAll
#StrongerTogether
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A tiny frog got into junior infants today. Mayhem.
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.
@AdamPHarris
stating that 16,000 SNAs are back tomorrow on
@rtenews
This is not true. SNAs who work in 3rd to 5yr are not back unless they are subbing.
Also I see him blaming unions for not allowing AEN children back in these classes. He overestimates the power of unions⬇️
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'continue to monitor the situation' is the new 'schools are safe'. It's an empty platitude
@CMOIreland
School staff have been begging for proper mitigation measures throughout the pandemic.
Thanks to
@AudreyCarville
for asking the hard questions.
@morningireland
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Thanks to
@AodhanORiordain
for standing up for SNAs, teachers and Gardaí again on
@SaturdayRTE
#VaccinateSchoolStaff
#VaccinateToEducate
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Found a good use for the Sunday Indo.⬇️
Have tried to stay quiet on the school's reopening plans this weekend because our union asked us to.
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If you're an SNA in the union please check your emails. Very important.
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Was working this morning so I wasn't online. I can not believe that Ministers Madigan & Foley have doubled down attacking unions & by extension us.
They should get off the media circuit & start working with stakeholders. Pls don't read speculation on news & wait for union emails
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Amazing to see people protesting to get more SNAs on
#ReelingInTheYears
2011 outside the Dáil. I was there.
Some improvements have been made. Please let us professionalise our role. Don't make the process for parents onerous. SNAs want to help children.
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Was working online with one of my children this week. Their grandparent passed away of covid three weeks ago. The child spent the day planning on making a valentine card for the surviving grandparent. Kids are amazing. 💔
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I'd also like to wish my SNA colleagues the best of luck on going back to school tomorrow. I wish I could think of something more constructive to help but please do reach out if you are feeling overwhelmed. 💚
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