Sinn Féin spokespersons on Education and Special Education, Darren O’Rourke TD and Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh TD, have announced that the party will bring forward a Dáil motion this week calling for an urgent and fundamental shift in how the state provides for children with additional educational needs.
Teachta O’Rourke TD said: “Every week, my office is contacted by parents who cannot secure an appropriate school place for their child, particularly those with additional needs, and feel like they have to constantly fight the system to secure what should be a fundamental right.
“There is a chronic shortage of appropriate school places. Some children are being forced to travel long distances, while others have no other choice but to stay at home due to a lack of an appropriate place for them, a flagrant breach of their constitutional rights.
“We have serious concerns about the redesignation of general learning disability schools, the provision of SNAs, and the concentration of new special classes almost exclusively in ASD provision, with very few new classes catering for children with mild general learning disabilities or language disorders, which require different educational supports and approaches.
“These changes are happening without consultation and without regard for the varying needs of children. The Government has adopted a cut by stealth approach, they have shown little regard for SNAs, teachers and children in the sector and they are sleepwalking into the worst ever crisis in special education this September.
“Sinn Féin is calling for an All‑Party Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Inclusive Education to be established – a ‘Sláintecare Committee for Inclusive Education’. This would be a forum to hear from parents, students, SNAs, teachers, therapists, school leaders and advocacy groups – with an aim to propose a clear roadmap for a new and better approach to how we provide inclusive education in Ireland.
“We need a new and fairer approach, one that puts the needs of children at the centre. A time bound All-Party Oireachtas Committee would play a very helpful role in informing that.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Special Education, Teachta Ní Raghallaigh said: “Sinn Féin is back with our fourth motion on special education since the beginning of this Dáil term. Sinn Féin does not bring this forward lightly, but we felt we had no other choice.
“The Government is heading straight into yet another crisis, in what has become an annual cycle of prolonged dread, anxiety and disappointment for families.
“Despite giving itself a longer run-in time this year to facilitate planning, we are heading into another calamitous situation. We appear to be in no better position, with potentially hundreds without an appropriate school place this September.
“There is still no clarity on the role of Special Needs Assistants following the pause on cuts to allocations.
“Instead of ramping up provision, the Government’s approach appears to be one of rationing – whether through the redesignation of Mild General Learning Disability (MGLD) classes or the creation of a new category of ‘inclusive special class’ with higher pupil numbers but no commensurate increase in supports. This is dilution, not inclusion.
“The dire situation we now face in special education is further proof that this Government is out of touch with reality and asleep at the wheel.
“Sinn Féin is demanding action and that children with additional needs’ constitutional rights be vindicated. No child will be left behind!”
