TD slams Govt for lack of special school places in Cork
A Cork city TD has called on the Government to ensure that every child who needs a special school place in September will have one.
Speaking in the Dáil recently, Sinn Féin TD for Cork South-Central, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said he is dealing with the families of 13 children who do not have a place for this autumn.
Teachta Ó Laoghaire said: “I was contacted by a parent just last night. One of the things I cannot understand is how we have this debate every year.
“Every March, April and into May, we are talking about this. For neurotypical children in most parts of the county it is not a problem, and it carries on, although there are many parts of the education system that could be better for them.”
He added: “Every single year we seem to be in this place where TDs from every part of the country are bringing forward examples of children and families who do not know where they are going. The anxiety, stress, and worry that this causes for parents are enormous.”
The discussion in the Dáil was kicked off by Labour Party TD for Cork North-Central, Eoghan Kenny, who called upon Dáil Éireann to note that there is an ongoing failure by the State to adequately plan for school places for children with special or additional educational needs. Deputy Kenny also asked for it to be noted that schools that have been assessed as requiring additional special needs assistant (SNA) positions are being blocked from recruiting for these essential roles.
Minister for Education, Helen McEntee TD, responded by saying that the Government is “committed to ensuring that each child with a special educational need (SEN) has an appropriate school place, in line with their constitutional right and Programme for Government commitments.”
Minister McEntee said: “The continued significant State investment of €2.9 billion in supporting the provision of special education, a 48 per cent increase since 2020.
“Budget 2025 provided for up to 2,700 additional special education placements to include, 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and 300 additional special school places.
“I have met many parents and children, not just as Minister for Education, but over the past number of years. I acknowledge them and that all they want is to ensure that every child has access to that place and support. That is why we are here,” she added.
Responding to the minister, Teachta Ó Laoghaire said: “What parents will have heard from the minister in her response is a lot of reasonableness and trying to empathise with the situation. I suppose that is better than denying there is a problem.
“The reality for parents on the ground is that reasonable words will not put a single child inside the door of a school.
“I referred to 13 children who do not have a school place at all. The minister can multiply that by any amount for the children who do not have an appropriate school place, who are in a special class when they should be in a special school or are in mainstream when they should be in a special class, or who are at home when they should be in a special school.
“It is a profound failure of these children,” concluded Teachta Ó Laoghaire.