Principals warn 'catch-all' special schools will push pupils back into mainstream classes
The school leaders, who oversee 30 special schools in 19 counties, serving more than 3,000 students, say they face growing pressure from the Department of Education to change their schools' current designation to include children with 'complex needs'.
The principals have warned that this broadening of criteria will result in a phasing-out of special school places for children with mild and general learning disabilities.
The Department of Education told schools last week of new plans aimed at resolving long-standing issues with the application system for special education, which sees families struggling to find places each year.
These issues, as previously highlighted by the Irish Examiner, include a lack of access to appropriate school places.
The 30 special schools affected by the new criteria work with children who have mild and general learning disabilities, which typically means a child has an IQ between 50 and 69, as well as with students who are considered 'borderline'.
The schools also work with autistic students, often making up more than 50% of the student body, and who have a dual diagnosis of mild and general learning disabilities and don't fit the typical autism class model.
The schools offer the full primary curriculum, the Junior Cycle at Levels 2 and 3, QQI Level 3, and the Leaving Certificate Applied.
However, the principals now fear their model of education is at risk, according to spokeswoman for the group, Debbie O'Neill, principal of Scoil Eoin in Crumlin.
Instead of creating new special school places, the department's plan simply reallocates existing places. This pushes children with mild and general learning disabilities back into mainstream environments that have already failed them.
'This is not inclusive education. It is reactive, rushed, and deeply unfair," she said.
The pressure on schools to change designations to cater for a wider cohort of disabilities has become 'very apparent' in recent years, particularly as the crisis in placements for autistic children took hold.
'They are calling them 'catch-all' special schools, which is the most horrendously disrespectful language to any child or parent with a disability, and they are looking for us to become these 'catch-all' special schools," Ms O'Neill said.
'Mild' schools redundant
Within four years, the intention is that 'mild' schools would be 'redundant' and students would be back in mainstream classrooms. There would only be a specialised setting for those with the most complex needs, Ms O'Neill said.
The recent circular concerned principals as the new language used around designation has been 'kept vague on purpose', she added.
'We recognise the urgent need to find school places for autistic children," she said.
No child should be left without a school place, and no family should be left in limbo. We stand with those parents. We want those children to be supported.
However, the apparent current strategy of 'repurposing mild and general learning disabilities schools" is not the answer, Ms O'Neill said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said it is not the intention to exclude children who require a special school place from accessing certain special schools.
However, it is not "appropriate" that children and young people have to pass special schools and travel long distances because "they don't meet the narrow criteria for admission to those special schools who cater for children with mild general learning disabilities", the spokesperson said.
"A number of these special schools have already moved to broaden the profile of students they support, in response to the changing needs of students. The department and the National Council For Special Education will support other schools to do the same."
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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
'They are my joy': Meet the children living in Sri Lanka care homes established by Irish volunteers and donations
'One day, I'd like to play for the Irish cricket team, I'd like to see Ireland, a place that I have heard so much about, a place that I love,' 17-year-old Kavindu* said from inside the Arklow Boys Home, based in Negombo, Sri Lanka. Kavindu is one of 32 boys living in the home that was established by Irish volunteers and donations after the 2004 tsunami that saw hundreds of children displaced, lose their parents and their homes. Set up by Fine Gael TD for Wicklow-Wexford Brian Brennan, the homes have now evolved, with new ones opening in the 20 years since. Named after the town or county that helped fund them - including Cork, Kildare, and Wexford - in total there are now six such homes. It's not just a space for these children to live in, but also a chance for them to continue their education, to play cricket, and express themselves through music, art and other sports as well. In 2004, the St Stephen's Day tsunami saw 31,229 people die and more than 4,000 go missing. Mr Brennan – who was a hotelier at the time - wanted to help, and was able to raise €25,000 with the aid of his community to buy a bus to help move these kids to homes. After visiting Sri Lanka, he ended up ringing the community to say "We should buy land" and ended up building homes for the children who needed it. According to Mr Brennan, there are currently 172 children in the care of the homes. 'I ring them every day,' he said. 'They call me Uncle Brennan, they call Malika amma, and they are my joy. When my mother passed, and she was buried, they were watching it live and keeping in touch. 'And then they had a pizza party later, which is what my mother would have wanted them to have. She was heavily involved with all the work that I was doing in Sri Lanka.' The Wexford-Wicklow TD said the whole goal of these homes is to give these children 'a chance in life'. The Arklow Boys Home The Irish Examiner visited the Arklow Boys Home in May. The children waited patiently as we pulled in. The amma (mother) of the home greeted us with a smile as she took us into the home. One side of the main hall was filled with trophies that the boys had brought home after winning track meets or cricket matches. On the other side of the room the boys gathered around with a few instruments – an accordion, a trumpet and a big drum as they played a rendition of the Irish national anthem. The young boys donned their Wexford GAA jerseys and held their hurleys with pride. Malika, the amma of the house, spoke with pride of the children who have come and gone from the home. 'Some of these boys have been here since they were only a few months old. A lot of the time, these children have a difficult situation at home or are wards of the court,' Malika said. 'Sometimes they have also been witnesses to serious crimes and need a safe place to stay until they can provide their witness statement.' Mr Brennan said: "There is one boy currently living in one of the homes who came in when he was young. He had just witnessed his mother being burned to death by her second partner.' Some of the boys from the Arklow Boys Home wearing their GAA jerseys. 'The boy had never met his father before, and when he came in here first, he did not speak to anyone for six days. 'It was only after the other boys nudged him to play cricket, to have a bit of fun, that he started to speak again and enjoy life. Now, he is doing really well and is excelling.' Mr Brennan said these children have 'gone through a lot'. 'They're getting the best care here, it's not perfect, but by god, they are in a far better position,' he added. Some of these children do not know their own birthdays, but have been given a day they can celebrate as their own. 'I am currently doing my A-Levels,' Tisara* said. 'I would like to come to Ireland at some point and work in tech. But I also love art and would like to become a tattoo artist on the side as well. 'I love cricket as well, it is the one thing that makes me so happy, and I love bowling and trying to hit the wickets.' On the other side of the home's main hall the boys gathered around with a few instruments – an accordion, a trumpet and a big drum as they played a rendition of the Irish national anthem. Down below from the house where they sleep, eat and study, is a massive green pitch. The older boys play, calling out the runs as they go and keeping an eye out for wicket breaks. The younger boys try to sneak into the games of the older boys to catch a glimpse of how they play, and are always welcomed in. After leaving Arklow Boys Home, some of the children who spent time there have secure jobs. A few now work as police officers, are in high senior positions within the Sri Lankan army, or work in well-respected jobs in large companies. Some have moved abroad to continue their education or work abroad. 'They are exceptionally talented,' Malika said. 'Even though they have had a difficult struggle in their life, it does not stop them from seeing the good and seeing what is out there for them. 'They have incredibly massive dreams, and I know they will excel.' 'One of the boys, Shehan*, was a runner and was into running. One time, he decided that he wanted to run the marathon, and when he went to the start line I noticed he did not have any running shoes. He was barefoot," Mr Brennan said. 'I asked him, 'Why are you running 14k without any shoes?' He said 'I've been training barefoot, why should I wear shoes to run this'. And at the end of it, at the end of the marathon, I was following him on the motorcycle, and what do I see, tuk-tuks and cameras following this one barefoot boy, and he won the race. 'And when he came back home, all the boys in the house lifted him and his trophy up in joy and excitement. The boy now works for one of the top finance firms in Sri Lanka,' he said. Malika said that the children she has looked after in her years as a caregiver are still in contact with her and still call her amma. 'They bring me great joy, and I am so happy to see them doing really well,' she added. Cork Girls Home A 15-minute drive from the Arklow Boys Home lies the Cork Girls Home, which shares the same grounds as a Catholic convent. Similarly to the boys' home, many of the girls living here do not have a mother or a father; some have guardians, some choose to live in the home. A parents' day ceremony is usually held here once a year, and sometimes some parents do not show up, according to the nun who runs the home, Sister Augustine. A flat rate of 3000 rupees (€8) a month is paid in respect towards each girl. However, sometimes not all of them can give that money. The fee is then put towards the girls' food, any necessary items and board. 'A lot of these girls come from broken families, and they definitely carry on the trauma of that,' Sr Augustine said. Many of the girls living at Cork Girls Home in Negombo do not have a mother or a father; some have guardians, some choose to live in the home. 'Some have the dream to visit Ireland, some are just hoping that one day they can see their mothers or fathers again, some just want to do really well in school, or some just want to continue singing or dancing – they are very talented.' 14-year-old Irena, originally from Puttalam – a four-hour drive from the girls' home, said she has only been at the home for a year. Her dream is to visit Korea and meet K-Pop supergroup BTS. However, eight-year-old Andrea has been at the home for over three years. She said her mother left for Canada to work and support herself, her two sisters and her brothers. 'I miss my mam,' she said. 'I will get to see her in November, she will come here and she will bring cake and we will have a good time.' Kavindi, 14, came to the home when she was nine years old. Originally from Peliyagoda in the Colombo district, she had been living with her mother, father and younger brother. A classroom in the Cork Girls Home in Negombo. 'Dad is an alcoholic, and things weren't looking good at home,' she said. 'It came to the point where we left our home, and mam was living in a hostel with my brother and me. I then told my mam that it would be better if I stayed in a home and she stayed with my younger brother,' Kavindi said. Her mother and younger brother are still living in a hostel together. 'I want to do education at university, hopefully and become a teacher and teach nursery,' she added. 'I just want to be happy, to help, and hopefully find a better living,' Kavindi added. For Sewmini, her dream is to one day go abroad to Germany, get a degree, get a job, contribute to society and maybe stay there. Being the oldest in the home, the 20-year-old said that it did not stop her from having incredible friendships with the other girls. Originally from Ja-Ela, not too far from home, Sewmini said she has been living in the home for over 11 years. She is currently looking to re-sit her A-Levels at the end of the year. Pursuing their dreams Mr Brennan said these children, after leaving broken homes, need a space to continue their education and their dreams. 'They all want to play cricket for Sri Lanka, but usually when they turn 14, 15, we talk about with them what it is they want and we bring about the idea of getting a job, going into college, but also to pursue their dreams. 'There was one boy who said he did not like school but enjoyed farming. So we bought him €100 worth of chickens to look after, and sure now, he owns 1,500 chicken farms in Sri Lanka. 'And the boys in the home, whenever they see him come in to visit with his big motorcycle, and they wonder, 'How did the boy who hated school get in this position now?'' * Names have been changed to protect the identity of the children
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
‘I work hard so my children will not struggle the way I do': Irish aid supports enterprising women in Sri Lanka
"I make these items for sports kits so that one day, I can send my kids abroad to university.' Those are the words of 54-year-old Renuka, based in Piliyandala in the Colombo district of Sri Lanka. She is one of thousands of Sri Lankan women who have taken on the role of family's breadwinner through skills that they have repurposed over several years. Women in Sri Lanka have resorted to setting up businesses in their own homes to support their families and cover day-to-day expenses, in an economic climate which has seen great destitution and poverty following the 2022 economic crisis that swamped the country. Inflation, near depletion of foreign reserves, shortages of medical supplies, and the increase in prices of basic commodities, including food, began in 2019. This was followed by the covid pandemic, leading to the 2022 protests which saw Sri Lankan citizens throw out the Rajapaksa government. Renuka: 'I work at all hours of the day' For Renuka, her work sewing and creating items for cricket uniform kits is her only source of income. 54-year-old Renuka works long hours making items for cricket uniform kits in Piliyandala, Sri Lanka: 'My kids go to bed, and I would be working with my sewing machine until maybe 1am or 2am.' The Maradana native said she makes between 90,000 and 200,000 rupees (€253-€563) a month and says most of this money goes towards the costs of food, bills, and extra grinds classes for her two children who are currently sitting their O-Levels and A-Levels — the equivalent of the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert. She also supports her bedridden mother and the medical expenses of her younger sister. 'I work at all hours of the day — sometimes I could be working very late into the night if I have a big order that I need to get through,' Renuka told the Irish Examiner. 'My kids go to bed, and I would be working with my sewing machine until maybe 1am or 2am. 'Sometimes I find myself cutting all the fabric shapes out on the floor here — you can still see the marks from the knife — and then I may fall asleep on the ground. 'My children then, who wake up will come in and see me asleep on the floor with no pillow, no blanket, and then give out to me saying: 'You should not be working that late.' ' Renuka's home is a small two-bedroom house with a red-clay floor. Her living room also acts as a kitchen, and her sewing machine sits right next to the front door, in front of the kitchen sink. 'My dream is to send my children abroad, to make sure that they don't suffer as I do here in Sri Lanka,' she said. I will struggle, and I will do as much as I can. I will try to bring as much money home so that when they finish school and then get a degree, they will not struggle the way that I do now. 'At some point in my life I would also like to open up a shop selling sports kits. That has always been my dream, for the past 25 years.' Renuka said she has always been sewing since before her children were born. 'When I was heavily pregnant with my son, 18 years ago, I was sewing all the orders which would fit into gallon bags, and carrying them by myself to the shops to give it to them. 'They would wonder, 'how are you carrying these all by yourself,' and I would say: 'It's all OK, I can do this.' 'I really struggled for the past few years. Things were really difficult, I would go seeking help, any kind of support that I could get, crying because I needed to support my two children and make sure that they get through their education.' Disabled sisters run their own business Sumeda, 37, and her sisters, Kamani and Kumudu, set up a small business selling bags to tourist companies and tourist shops across the country. Sumeda runs a business, Vinitha Bags, which se set up with her sisters, Kamani and Kumudu: 'The work that we do here has allowed us to feel independent, pay our bills, buy our food, and look after each other.' All three sisters have muscular dystrophy and are wheelchair users. They were living in a home for disabled people after their mother died. However, after learning how to sew and paint, they decided they wanted to set up a business to support their independent living and to live freely in their own home. After receiving support from Sarvodaya, a Sri Lankan NGO, they were able to get land and a home where they can continue working their business. Sumeda said: The work that we do here has allowed us to feel independent, pay our bills, buy our food, and look after each other. 'I have always loved to sew, and just because I am disabled does not mean I cannot do it. 'Each of us does a different task. My sister Kumudu paints the art on the bags. My other sister Kamani adds the zips and handles to it. 'We all do different things, but we do this together.' Sumeda hopes that one day their business will take off and allow them to eventually purchase a wheelchair-accessible van. The sisters smiled as they spoke to the Irish Examiner about their passion for creating. They moved to Godagama after leaving the home for disabled people in Rajagiriya. 'One day, we hope that we can live well enough and not worry about anything else,' Sumeda said. Latha: 'I love what I am doing' Meanwhile, in Kolonnawa near the Kelaniya river, Latha, 42, works hard every day designing handbags, backpacks, and travel bags for eager customers who place orders of between 100-300 items. Latha tells Imasha Costa she makes 100,000 rupees (€281) a month from her business designing handbags, backpacks, and travel bags. But 'after paying our food, our bills, and my daughters' education fees, their school travel fees, nothing is left over.' Originally from Matale in the Central Province north of Kandy, Latha says she makes 100,000 rupees (€281) a month from her business. 'After paying our food, our bills, and my daughters' education fees, their school travel fees, nothing is left over,' the mother of three said. 'I love what I am doing. I wake up at 5am every morning, get everything in the house done before I start working. And some nights I do not finish until 1am or 2am, and then I am up again. It's constant. 'My husband helps me transport the items wherever they need to go, like to the Petta markets, the fairs across different areas, and even up north to Jaffna. It is a great help.' Latha said that when she first started out, when she wanted to get into the business at first, she was told she needed over 500,000 rupees (€1,407) as a downpayment. 'I sold two of my gold bangles for 260,000 rupees [€732], and pawned my sister's two bangles for a similar amount,' she said. However, she was at a loss after that, after the deal fell apart and she lost her money because the plan did not come to fruition. Now, she works from her home, with another woman in her employ, and has already begun teaching some of her neighbours how to sew bags as well. 'My dream is to own a bigger place so that my family and I can thrive there. This means that I can hire more people and we can carry out more orders,' Latha said. Impact of Trump's defunding of USAID Project manager and deputy executive director for Sarvodaya, JMM Niswi, said that Latha, Sumeda, and Renuka and her sisters are examples of thousands of women across the country who start small businesses out of their homes to support their families. Sarvodaya supports many women across Sri Lanka and, following a 'due process screening' and applications, it provides what these women need to help them carry out their business. However, Mr Niswi raised concerns about Donald Trump's freezing of US aid, which the organisation and many others across the country benefited from. Since 1956, the US has provided over $2bn (€1.69bn) in development assistance to the country. After it was frozen in March this year, we had to stop three projects and terminate contracts of 22 staff members. "Talented, very talented, staff who we could not fund anymore,' he said. 'Some 18% to 20% of projects within our organisation were funded by USAid. Now we have been informed that it may take more than three years before we see anything come our way. Latha works from home in Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka, designing and making handbags, backpacks, and travel bags and she now employs another woman. 'These women that we support need continuous progress. It's not just that we get grants to give them, say, for example, a sewing machine — we also support them through promoting themselves, how to market, how to sell, and how to compete with corporate markets. 'If we lose this funding, then we would have to pause those supports, which could lead to these women and their work being put on hold, which could lead to them to become disheartened, lose hope, and all the effort that we have put in for them to progress will be lost.' Mr Niswi added that while they are looking elsewhere for funding, it is difficult to get anything at all. 'We are looking to European funding, but they are much more lengthy and specific and very likely to get your proposals rejected,' he said. 'Sri Lanka, unlike other countries, does not have a culture of funding its homegrown NGOs, and I do not think it ever will.' Ireland's humanitarian and development work When asked, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it is continuing to 'closely assess the immediate and long-term impact of funding cuts from the US and other countries'. 'The impact of these cuts are being felt across many countries. We are continuing to work with our partners, including civil society and multilateral partners, to assess the impact of funding cuts,' a spokesperson said. Minister of state Neale Richmond said that 'at a time when humanitarian needs are rising globally, the impact of funding cuts from the US and elsewhere are having a severe impact.' The budget for Irish Aid is at record levels and we are going to continue to invest in supporting the people in the world left furthest behind. 'The impact of Ireland's humanitarian and development work around the world is something Irish people should feel very proud about. 'Through our embassy in India, Ireland has supported civil society organisations in Sri Lanka. Most recently we supported Misean Cara's work to strengthen the rights of women and children.' Mr Richmond said this work is 'vital' and that its embassy in India remains 'engaged in Sri Lanka and, along with EU partners, we are monitoring political developments and human rights of vulnerable people'. This reporting was facilitated by a grant from the Simon Cumbers Fund
Irish Independent
21-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Funeral mass of Irish Daily Star and Irish Mirror photographer Mick O'Neill hears how he was ‘irreplaceable'
Mourners heard how the crowds gathered for his funeral were a 'testament to just how much Mick was loved and will be missed' as a colleague recalled how he "would treat a homeless person with the same respect as the President'. His granddaughter Mya told how Mr O'Neill was not just her grandfather, but someone with whom she shared a strong bond. 'He wasn't only my grandad, he was my best friend,' Mya said. 'We had such a strong bond. I'm not sure if he just liked breakfast or if it was an excuse to call me, but every time it was always the same question: 'Want to go for breakfast?' 'If I had a problem he could solve, he would do it. 'He was always so proud. He would make it out that whatever I did, no one has ever done it before. Reading all the comments, I see he would mention it to his friends too.' Mya said her grandfather would do 'everything' for her to be happy, including running 'all over Ireland' to get her the pair of Uggs she had mentioned for Christmas. 'We loved to eat chocolate together so it was easy to find a gift we could both enjoy, but sometimes all I got was a photo. He gave me so many memories that I'll never forget, probably because he always had the camera ready to snap,' she said. 'I love you Grandad Mick, I miss your calls already.' He was 'always happiest when he was out on the bike with the lads' A blue floral arrangement in the shape of the word 'Dad' was laid in front of his coffin at the Church of St Finian's, River Valley in Swords this morning, where his funeral took place. Mr O'Neill died after his motorbike crashed with a tractor and trailer on the Old Airport Road (Collinstown Lane) in north Dublin at around 11am on July 12. ADVERTISEMENT His close friend, Noel, who he grew up just minutes from him in Artane, worked with Mr O'Neill throughout his life – starting at Independent Newspapers – and shared a close bond with over their love of motorbikes. He told how Mr O'Neill 'was always happiest when he was out on the bike with the lads'. He thanked the large crowd that attended the mass, as well as the emergency services and the staff at the Mater Hospital who 'worked courageously during what was a very traumatic time'. 'Mick was a solid bloke. When you became his friend, you stayed his friend. I never heard him say a bad word about anyone,' Noel said. 'Mick had a great effect on people. He was just well liked because of his modesty, his subtle sense of humour – which we all know – and his professional approach to his work.' He said he will never forget how Mr O'Neill became part of the 'rock' that supported him when they were both made redundant in 2004. "He always had a positive vibe and said things will get better. And he was right, because they did.' 'A mentor and friend to dozens of reporters over the years' Mr O'Neill pursued a career in press photography, later becoming the chief press photographer with Reach Ireland, which comprises the Irish Daily Star and Mirror newspapers. Earlier this year, one of Mr O'Neill's images was named in the top 50 photos at the World Press Awards. 'The message I have to the person who hired Mick as their man at the Star. You not only knew that he was the best man for the job, but he was the right man. Mick was always the right man,' Noel added. In a message read on behalf of Mr O'Neill's colleagues, Irish Mirror and Irish Star crime and defence editor Mick O'Toole wrote that the photographer was 'a mentor and friend to dozens of reporters over the years'. 'He loved the variety of the work and would treat a homeless person with the same respect as the President,' he said. Mr O'Toole told how the photographer had a 'unique way of putting interviewees at ease' and was a support to reporters throughout their work with his ideas, humour, energy, dedication and advice. 'He was always motivated, always cheerful and could be depended on even in the toughest of spots. He travelled all over the world with his job – often on risky assignments,' Mr O'Toole said. 'Some of the countries that he went to included Peru, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Mauritius, India, Dubai, Spain. But whenever he went, he never forgot that he was a proud Dubliner.' Mr O'Neill worked on many high-profile jobs and stories throughout his career, with Mr O'Toole adding: 'All his colleagues are devastated by his loss. He is irreplaceable.' In his death notice, Mr O'Neill was described as the 'loving father of Karl', who was predeceased by his parents Mick and Angela. 'Very sadly missed by his son, grandchildren Mya and Kai, Karl's partner Vicky, Karl's mother Lorraine, brothers Terry and Owen, sisters Ann and Helena, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and neighbours.' The funeral mass was followed by burial in Dardistown Cemetery.
