ONE mother seeking a place in a special education class for their child has received 25 rejection letters as the shortage of school places sees kids forced to travel to different counties to get an education.
Sinn Fein today tabled a motion in the Dail calling on the Government to immediately expand the number of special school places across the country to ensure every child will have a place by September.
The bill calls for a long term solution to be developed for the shortage and more recruitment of teachers and SNAs to open more classes.
Desperate parents searching for school places for their children have been contacting their local politicians for help as they fear their child will be left without an education.
Dublin South West TD Paul Murphy said one woman in his constituency has received 25 rejection letters for her child already as schools are too full.
He told the Irish Sun: “What happens is you apply for every school you can possibly apply to and you come back with a bunch of rejection letters.
“I was talking to one woman who has 25 rejection letters so far.
“You go back to your Special Education Needs Organiser to say ‘look I don’t have a place’ and then sometimes out of that comes an offer but it is half way across the country.
“The State is then spending literally millions – I think €10m a year – on transporting kids across the country.
“The answer is simple. Every single school in primary and post primary needs to have at least a special class if not multiple special classes.”
Deputy Murphy said he worked with one family last year who lived in Ballymun but the nearest school they were offered was in Co Meath.
He said parents are regularly asked to send their kids to schools in different counties due to the lack of special classes in their areas.
Sinn Fein TD Eoin O’Broin said the party were bringing forward the private members’ bill in a bid to push the Government to take action now for children who need a place this September.
The Dublin Mid West TD said: “We’re one of the constituencies worst affected by this.
“It is as a result of chronic underinvestment not just for years but for decades.
‘MAKES NO SENSE’
“Every child has a right to an education. No child should be excluded from accessing education – whether they need a supported place in a mainstream school or a special school.
“Myself and Mark Ward and our colleagues are working with parents on a daily basis for whom there is simply no school space.
“It is not uncommon for example to have children go through junior and senior school where the Department of Education knows they are going to be looking for a place in secondary education but again in our own constituency there are far fewer places in secondary schools than there is in junior schools.
“It just makes no sense.
“This motion is about highlighting the need for government to take far greater action to ensure some of our most vulnerable children are given the best start in life and all the educational and special needs supports they deserve.”
