The Disability Society says it is disappointed with the way the Learning Support Assistant posts have been filled.

A statement continued: “The Disability Society had arranged to meet with Minister Cortes last week regarding the huge lack of Learning Support Assistants in mainstream schools. Due to Parliament being called for this week Minister Cortes postponed our meeting until early November.

“We understand that the LSA posts have now been filled and some of those LSA’s who have been selected have now begun their induction course. However, many candidates have to give up to a month’s notice at their current jobs meaning further delays.

“The Society feels it important to publicly express its disappointment in the way that this situation has been handled. Many children’s school lives continue to be disrupted in a manner that, quite frankly, the Society feels could have been completely avoided.

“The Society does not wish to become involved in a tit for tat as to which department is responsible for this debacle. We therefore hope that our upcoming meeting with the Department of Education and its Minister will go some way to rooting out causes for this unacceptable delay in providing necessary support; and will find solutions to ensure that this situation will never occur again in the future.”