All children must reach full potential, says Hanafin

EDUCATION Minister Mary Hanafin insisted the Government was “determined to ensure that every child gets the opportunity to reach their full potential”.

Her assurance, however, came a day after the heartbroken parents of a six-year-old autistic boy were told the State had no obligation to provide a specialist educational programme for him.

Cian and Yvonne O Cuanachain sued the State over its failure to provide their son Sean with 30 hours a week of applied behavioural analysis [ABA], a form of tuition experts believed could dramatically improve his ability to learn.