‘We waited, hoped and fought for this class. It's like a cruel betrayal' – parents frustrated after promised autism class is withdrawn
Parents who had been promised an autism class for their children say they are 'frustrated', 'let down' and 'heartbroken' after learning that it will no longer be proceeding.
When a special class had been made available for Scoil Teampall Toinne in Ballyporeen, Co Tipperary, for September, Linda Meade and her husband Patrick Meade were over the moon.
It meant their four-year-old son Reigan, who was diagnosed with autism last year, would get to go to the same school as his older brother and friends.
After being informed that Scoil Teampall Toinne would have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) class, Ms Meade refused the offer of a place at another school which would have catered for her son's needs.
However, parents have now been told that the ASD class will no longer be happening.
'We live in the countryside where services and supports for children with additional needs are already few and far between,' Ms Meade said.
'We struggle for assessments, for therapies, for any kind of support. And now, a class that could have made a real difference is gone.
'How are we supposed to explain this to our children?'
An email from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) stated that the 'conditions under which the class was sanctioned had significantly changed'.
'The class was sanctioned based on an agreement with the school that they had permanent accommodation available for a special class to open in September 2025,' a NCSE employee told parents.
'Since then, the school have [sic] notified the department that rent will need to be paid on the accommodation and that a permanent build will be required. As a result, the sanction could not progress'.
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We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for equal opportunities, for dignity, for the right for every child to be educated in a place that supports them
While parents have been advised that the support of special needs assistants will be provided, they fear their children will end up being 'left behind'.
Ms Meade said it was her understanding that a fee has to be paid for the building – which is located next to the main school – but she understood that the 'fee was very negotiable'.
'It doesn't make any sense,' she said.
'We have waited, hoped and fought for this class. Our children cannot wait years for services that should be basic rights. We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for equal opportunities, for dignity, for the right for every child to be educated in a place that supports them'.
'This decision feels like a cruel betrayal,' she added.
Josephine Sweeney's daughter, Eily (7), is another one of the children set to lose out.
Eily is currently in senior infants at Scoil Teampall Toinne. While she has been able to manage with help from the SNAs so far, going forward she will need even greater support, which is why her mother was 'delighted' when she found out an ASD class would be made available.
I cannot overemphasise the reaction Eily would have, impacting all areas of her life, and our entire family life, if she had to leave Ballyporeen to access the day-to-day assistance she needs
'One of the big things doctors said when Eily received her diagnosis is that they [students with autism] can manage for junior and senior infants, but once they get past that, it gets more academic and that's where they start to fall behind.
'Eily particularly struggles with any type of change to the normal, becoming agitated and very distressed, even if we were only to change the route we take to a familiar location.
'She remains upset for a considerable amount of time afterwards and gets very distraught if things will change from the familiar again.
'I cannot overemphasise the reaction Eily would have, impacting all areas of her life, and our entire family life, if she had to leave Ballyporeen to access the day-to-day assistance she needs to help navigate her way through the educational and social aspects of school'.
The Department of Education said an additional 399 new special education classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2025/2006 school year.
Another 300 special school places and five new special schools are also being established.
'The NCSE has advised the department that sufficient special class capacity has already been created in this area so that children who require special class placements are able to access them for September 2025.
"In some cases, children may wish to remain in their local school, where they will be supported by the special education resources that are provided to mainstream schools.'
It said queries on individual classes should be referred to the NCSE.
However, the NCSE did not respond to requests for comment.
While the department said there will be nearly 4,000 available spaces for children in special education classes next year, it does not appear that Scoil Teampall will be among them.
The school was contacted for comment.
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Our Lady of Fatima gives them the tools to become a member of society. If she had remained in mainstream she would have stopped going to school. Once she reached first year in secondary that would have been it.' The future In the wake of the letter issued by the Department of Education, Our Lady of Fatima and the other 29 special schools for children with MGLD issued a joint statement to Education Minister Helen McEntee. It called upon both the Department and the NCSE to 'protect our model, to expand provision across the board, and to invest in the full range of needs' and for Minister McEntee to meet them in person to discuss the issues they are facing. 'It is her responsibility to stop this harmful action, to engage with staff and parents affected and to consider alternatives,' read the statement. And in the Dáil, on July 1, Wexford TD George Lawlor offered his full support to Our Lady of Fatima and schools potentially impacted by these proposed changes. Noting that pupils from the Wexford school had recently gone on to third level and been accepted onto apprenticeship programmes, Deputy Lawlor said these schools, and the children who attend them, needed to be supported. 'We need to stand up for the children with a mild, general learning disability because they thrive in places like Our Lady of Fatima school. They thrive in what these schools offer them. Children who attend special schools like Our Lady of Fatima would definitely struggle for many different reasons, including mental health or high anxiety levels, if they were compelled to go to a mainstream school. 'The students in the likes of Our Lady of Fatima in Wexford town flourish. This school offers the primary curriculum, junior certificate level and level 3 subjects, and has started senior cycle level 2 and the leaving certificate applied. The students receive the same as they would in a mainstream school but the difference is the number of students is smaller. The anxiety they would have felt in a mainstream school has been taken away. Our Lady of Fatima special school can attend to their needs. As a result, the students in this wonderful school and wonderful schools like it across the country are successful in accessing the curriculum. 'The argument that no child should pass the school that is right beside their house is understood, but schools such as the one I have mentioned should be an option for parents who want to send their children to them. The policy outlined in Circular 39/2025 (letter from the Department) creates the risk of students being very unhappy in an environment in which they do not flourish. The success of the children of Our Lady of Fatima special school when they leave school is proof of how it works. "There is a strong chance that these students would not have been able to achieve this in a mainstream setting. Our Lady of Fatima special school is a model that works and the feeling now is that this model is at risk and that the education of the children who are content and anxiety free is at risk. Darryl Cogley, the chairperson of the school parents' association, has a daughter who originally attended mainstream school and then moved to Our Lady of Fatima special school. 'He said that children like his daughter require a specialised school and educational environment, and dedicated support. She got it at Our Lady of Fatima special school and continues to flourish on a day-to-day basis. I ask the Minister of State to re-examine Circular 39/2025 for the benefit of these wonderful schools across the country." Returning to the parents, they say there is one reason behind the proposed changes, one reason why the Department wants to change the provision of special education throughout the country. 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Irish Times
04-07-2025
- Irish Times
More than 30 children without school places taking High Court action
Parents of children with special needs who have no offer of a school place for September may have to consider whether to give up their jobs to take care of their children, the High Court has heard. A total of 34 cases were listed on Friday in the High Court, where parents are legally challenging the Minister for Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on the failure to provide school places for children with special needs. Brendan Hennessy BL, who is representing the children in cases, told the High Court on Friday that the final figure on legal challenges over the lack of school places for children with special needs for September could be as high as 50. Ms Justice Sara Phelan, who is case managing the list, said two judges will be available in September to deal with the challenges. Three days have also been set aside in July. READ MORE The judge issued what she called 'a word of warning' saying that the Department of Education and the NCSE process in relation to the provision of school places should start earlier next year so that it is not in the same position. Ms Justice Phelan was told by the State that places had been offered to children in seven of the cases. Hearing dates in July have been given for the legal challenges in three cases, and four cases are expected to back those up. The judge was told there are now 20 cases left on the High Court list in relation to children who have not got places for the start of the school term, but more cases are being brought all the time and the final figure could be 40 to 50 cases before the court. Mr Hennessy, instructed by KM Solicitors, asked that every court slot be allocated. 'Parents are worried that one of them may have to give up employment come September. All that parents want to know is do they have a guaranteed school place,' he said. He said parents will also need written, guaranteed confirmation of school places. He pointed out that the case of a seven-year-old boy had settled at the end of last year on the basis that the child would have a school place in April of this year after the completion of school building work. Counsel said the boy still has not got a school place. Counsel for the State parties, Tony McGillicuddy SC, outlined to the court that in seven of the cases before the court, places had now been offered at schools. He said the Department of Education and the NCSE were forming a plan and streamlining the system so that what happened this year does not happen next year. The cases will be back before the court later this month.
