Parents of autistic boy expelled from primary school grateful for fresh start
The family of a 13-year old Louth boy with autism who was expelled from his local primary school say they are looking forward to a new chapter as he has been allocated a place in the new school for children and teenagers with complex special needs in Castleblayney that opens in September.
Senan Maguire missed out on three months of education and was unable to make his confirmation after he was expelled from a north Louth school earlier this year.
His parents David and Tina watched as their son, who also has a moderate intellectual disability and is suffering with PTSD since the sudden, tragic death of his younger sister in 2018, struggled without the routine provided by school.
David and Tina Maguire with their son Senan
News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, July 30
While accepting that their son can present with challenging behaviour they feel that he was let down by the system.
They were told that their son's presence in the school was a threat to his safety and that of others and he was blamed for assaults leading to other people being injured.
He was suspended from the rural north Louth school seven times since January 2024 and missed making his confirmation as he hadn't been able to go to school to prepare for the sacrament.
"It's a shame how so many people let him down,' says David. 'All we wanted to do was to get him our little boy through to June so he could finish his education.'
They received the letter informing them of his expulsion on World Autism Day, April 2, and unsuccessfully sought places for him in other schools in the county as there were no available places.
'It was heart-breaking watching Senan at home, not understanding why he couldn't go to school,' recalls David.
Now, however, they are hoping that he can start a new chapter.
'We're very lucky that Senan has been allocated a place in the new school opening in Castleblayney in September,' says David.
"He also got two weeks with a behaviour therapist and he loved it, and has another week in August. He did July provision with ABACUS in Drogheda and again he had a great time.'
"He's happy again, he's dancing around. He can manage when the right setting is in place. This is all we asked for.'
David and Tina are very grateful for the support they received from the local community.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
an hour ago
- Sunday World
Husband of woman who killed their child slams lack of support from health authorities
Darren Coleman woke one morning in October 2020 to discover his wife and their infant son had died. Darren Coleman husband of Nicola Keane talks to the media after his case against the HSE was settled. Photo Collins Courts The husband of a woman who died after killing their child has hit out at the lack of empathy and support in the healthcare system. The body of Darren Coleman's wife Nicola Byrne - a 34-year-old paediatric nurse from Ballina, Co Mayo - was found off the M50 Westlink bridge in the early hours of October 22, 2020. When he was woken a short time later by gardaí who called to the couple's home at Shackleton Way, Lucan, Co Dublin, he discovered their seven-month-old son, Henry, in an unresponsive state in a spare bedroom. The baby boy was pronounced dead shortly after being brought to Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin. Darren Coleman. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin An inquest subsequently found that the tragic deaths if the concerns of medical staff about her mental health had been shared with her husband Just a month after his wife Nicola had died by suicide, he received a phone call from someone at the Crumlin hospital informing him that the toxicology report for his late son Henry was complete. Mr Coleman was then asked what should happen to the organs of his seven-month old infant son. 'They said I could incinerate them or I could bury Henry with them, which would mean digging his body back up again,' Mr Coleman has revealed in an interview with the Irish Times. "And they asked me to let them know early next week. That was it. I went back into the class and went on with work. 'I rang back next week, because I wasn't going to dig up his body. Nicola Keane and her husband Darren Coleman. Photo: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin. News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, August 5th 'Maybe they didn't know I was back at work but these are personal things they're talking about. It should've been a letter asking me to come in to discuss, or they could've called the Garda liaison and she could've called over and told me." Mr Coleman went on to say that he felt 'no empathy or care' had been shown to him by the health authorities. He also stated that his late wife had been 'crying out for help' but did not receive the support that she required. In 2023, Mr Coleman told a sitting of Dublin District Coroner's Court that he had endured a three-year wait as 'the only member of my family alive to speak' to voice his concerns about the care his wife had received for post-natal depression and the lack of information he was given by her doctors about her condition. Evidence was heard that Ms Keane told doctors that she was concerned that she might 'do something' because of her son's irritability and her fears they were not bonding, although she repeatedly denied any intention of suicide or harming her son. Medical records showed Ms Keane had told a psychologist at the hospital that she had damaged her son who was 'botched' but nobody would believe her and nothing could be done. Mr Coleman believed he should have been informed that his wife's medication had been increased twice around a month before her death as well as about any possible side-effects and that doctors had noted that she had 'delusional beliefs and depressive episodes.' 'To read about this after their deaths has hurt me so much that I will never recover from it,' said Mr Coleman at the hearing two years ago. The inquest's jury went on to return a majority 6-1 verdict of medical misadventure in relation to Ms Keane's death. Mr Coleman sued Children's Health Ireland (CHI) and the HSE over the circumstances leading to his wife and son's death but the legal action was settled in 2024.
Sunday World
8 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man appears in court after serious assault of woman (40s) in Dundalk
The woman, aged in her 40s, was assaulted in the Muirhevnamore Pork area at 6pm. A man has been charged after a woman was seriously assaulted in Dundalk on Friday, August 1. The woman, aged in her 40s, was assaulted in the Muirhevnamore Park area of the town. Gardaí are appealing for witnesses for anyone who may have footage (including dash-cam) in the area at approximately 6pm to make it available. A Garda spokesperson said that anyone with information is asked to contact Dundalk Garda Station on 042 938 8400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Stock photo: Getty News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, August 5th The man charged in connection with the incident appeared before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court on Monday, August 4. Investigations are set to continue.
Sunday World
12 hours ago
- Sunday World
Two young men die overnight after separate crashes in Dublin and Offaly
A man has been killed in an Offaly car crash, while a cyclist died in hospital a week after he was struck by car in Dublin Two men have died overnight as a result of separate incidents on Ireland's roads. In Offaly, a man in his thirties has died in a car crash in Tullamore. The single-vehicle collision occurred shortly before midnight on Monday, August 4th. Gardaí are now appealing for witnesses following the crash at Ballina Cross, Annaharvey, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Garda jacket. Stock image. News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, August 5th The body of the man was removed to the mortuary in the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore for a post-mortem examination to take place. The R420 between Geashill and Cloncollig Roundabout, Tullamore, has been closed for a technical examination to be carried out by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Local diversions are currently in place. Gardaí are also appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between around 11:40pm and midnight are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Separately, a cyclist (19) who was critically injured after he was struck by a car on Sunday, July 27 has sadly died. The young man was pronounced deceased at Beamont Hospital yesterday, Monday August 4th. Gardaí are still asking for any witnesses to the incident to come forward. Road users who may have relevant camera footage (including dash-cam) and were traveling in the area at the time are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí. Anyone with information is asked to contact Clondalkin Garda Station at 01 666 7600, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
