Parents at their wits’ end over school places for children with special needs

PARENTS of children with special needs in Portlaoise are experiencing “harrowing” situations not knowing if places can be found for them in local secondary schools next September.

Cllr Tommy Mulligan said: “Parents are at their wits’ end as they continue to exhaust all avenues, but unfortunately are receiving very few options as to where their children will be receiving their constitutional rights and education in 11 months’ time.” 

Speaking at the October meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, cllr Mulligan said: “Due to lack of foresight and poor planning, adequate ASD units have not been provided in secondary schools in Portlaoise.” He pointed out that seven pupils are leaving the ASD unit in Scoil Bhríde, four from the Holy Family school and two from the ASD unit in Portlaoise Educate Together, but only two ASD places are available in the CBS secondary school, two in Scoil Chríost Rí and no ASD places in either Dunamase College or Portlaoise College.

Cllr Mulligan said: “That’s 13 children looking for school places and only four available. That’s just in Portlaoise and not in the catchment areas of Ballyroan, Shanahoe, Raheen, Abbeyleix or Stradbally.” 

He said: “We have a chronic shortage of post-primary places for this cohort of students due to complete primary school in Portlaoise at the end of this academic year. These children have once again been failed and let down by the system. If there are no ASD units available, where are the children to go? Mainstream school is not an option for these children.” 

Parents of some of the children were in the public gallery of the council chamber during the debate to hear cllr Mulligan’s call for the council to seek a meeting with the minister for education “to address this urgent issue and alleviate these concerns”.

Cllr Mulligan said parents are “facing this continuing uncertainty, huge stress and constant worry. Some parents couldn’t come today (council chamber) because they said it was too emotive and that they would get upset. They are absolutely heartbroken. They’re hitting brick walls and closed doors everywhere they are going.” 

He said that parents are seeking clarity from the minister on the “crisis situation” about the provision of places next September, what options are available if post-primary places are not available and who will communicate with the parents about their concerns?

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said she fully supported cllr Mulligan’s call for a meeting with the minister.

She said: “Parents have had to already fight tooth and nail for their children when they were going into primary school. Now they’re battling again for their children to get a place in secondary school. It’s not right that the parents had to be in here (council chamber) today. The sooner we can meet the minister to put the case forward, the better.” 

Cllr Barry Walsh also agreed to arrange a meeting with the minister.

He said: “I know in Heywood (Community School) that there’s a shortage of places there as well. It’s full up (ASD places). ASD places in Ballyroan (primary school) are full up, which means it will be full until they finish their schooling. So next year there will be no place there either.” Cllr John Joe Fennelly was in full agreement with meeting the minister.

He said: “I can’t understand that when they know the amount of those attending the special schools around the county, why there hasn’t been joined-up thinking, or someone in the department saying if this is happing at primary school level that they’d know what would be needed down the line (in secondary schools). In Abbeyleix alone, we have four ASD units in Scoil Mhuire, and that’s catering for up to 24 pupils.” Caroline Dwane Stanley said: “It’s the single biggest issue that has come up consistently on the doors over the last ten years. The Educational Training Board schools have been trying to address it. We’re waiting on the new school to be built for the ASD units to go in, but there is a huge demand for places.” 

Cathaoirleach cllr Willie Aird said: “It’s like trying to push water up a hill for all the parents who are trying to get their children into these special school units. It’s been going on and on for years. But it seems to have got a lot worse this year. No school is happy that they can’t facilitate these young people. 

It’s wrong.” He said that the three TDs in Laois should arrange the meeting with the minister as soon as possible.

“Time is ticking by,” said cllr Mulligan. “These parents are under severe stress and worry.”