Government ‘doing all it can’ to ensure every child will have a school place
By Cate McCurry, PA
The Government is working “flat out to do everything” it can to ensure that every child will have a school place next September, the Taoiseach has claimed.
Micheál Martin said the Minister for Education is working with the National Council for Special Education to ensure a school place for every child for the next academic year.
He made the comments as parents stage a protest over the lack of special school places available for their children.
A second 24-hour sleep out is taking place outside Leinster House by parents who say they cannot find suitable school places for their children with additional needs.
The group, Equality in Education, will sleep outside Leinster House on Wednesday, which is also World Autism Day.
Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Martin said that every child in Ireland has a constitutional right to a school place.
Mr Martin said: “I have already convened meetings with eight government ministers in respect of the disability issue, there will be full coordination across the whole of government in relation to disability and more specifically, in relation to special education.
“Minister (for Education) Helen McEntee and (Michael) Moynihan, (Minister of State at the Department of Education), are working flat out with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and with the Department of Education to ensure a school place for every child this September and progress is being made.
“We’re working flat out to do everything we possibly can to make sure that every child will have a place next September.
“About 372 extra special classes have now been sanctioned for this year. That’s in addition to the numbers of classes that we already have, which are in the thousands.
“The ultimate objective is to have a central application system in place for the school year beginning in September 2026 – that’s the aim, to have it in place by then.
“Also, to have applications for places to start for that school year, next November of this year.”
He said that are “some outstanding issues” in relation to school places in Dublin.
“That’s what we’re working on and focusing on, and to do whatever it takes to make sure that the capacity is in place to provide for that,” Mr Martin added.
“An additional 1,200 places are available this year, bringing the total available places total for 3,900 for about 3,275 students.”
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said there is a “crisis” in special education.
“Today, Equality in Education, a group of parents who cannot access suitable school places for their children, will stage a second overnight sleep out tonight in protest of the ways in which the state has failed their families,” Ms Bacik said.
“A few weeks ago, they slept outside the Department of Education on Marlborough Street. Today, on World Autism Day, they will bring their protest to our door at Leinster House.
“The last time I raised this issue, you told me the Government would do all you could to work towards providing a place for every child, but Taoiseach, the NCSE does not even know how many children are without a school place, or how many places will be needed.
“So it’s understandable that parents are frustrated.
“Childhood is short and the consequences for a child of receiving inappropriate schooling or no schooling are massive.”
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald raised concern about promises made to parents about the availability of school places.
“The parents are now beside themselves with worry, because following a meeting with the Minister for Education, no such guarantee was made or given,” she added.
“These children and parents deserve that guarantee Taoiseach, they shouldn’t be forced to protest again outside the Dáil.
“So will you now, again, give a clear-cut commitment that every child will have access to a suitable school?”
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said: “There is a common thread that aligns with all of those parents and guardians, and that’s pain.
“Pain for what their child is being asked to go without.”
