A protest involving up to 1,000 people has begun outside the Dáil against cuts to the number of special needs assistants and resource teachers' hours.
The crowd have gathered in advance of a vote in the Dáil later this evening on a motion put forward by a technical group of TDs proposing a reversal of the cuts.
The protest has been organised by a number of groups that will be affected by the cuts such as schools and parents as well as several independent TDs and the United Left Alliance.
Groups organising the protest included the Special Needs Parents Association, Down Syndrome Ireland, Impact, the United Left Alliance, the Dáil Technical Group and the Enough Campaign.
Speaking at the demonstration, Down Syndrome Ireland chief executive Pat Clarke said the proposed cuts would benefit nobody.
"In lots of cases they (special needs students) will not be in a position to continue in mainstream education," he said. "Ultimately we contend that that is going to cost the Government more, but secondly it is going to have a detrimental affect on the well-being of the children."
The current cap on special needs assistants in schools was set by the previous government at 10,575. It now stands at 10,802 and the government have proposed to cut back to the original cap, a move which protesters say will leave some of the most vulnerable in society without the support they need.