‘Cuts have little regard to the children’s needs’

GRACE Kearney was mixing well with her fellow pupils at her local primary school until her special needs support was cut to one-sixth its previous levels and she had to move schools.

She was born with microcephaly, which means she has a small head and brain, and that she is severely visually impaired and has learning difficulties.

The 12-year-old’s parents, Mike and Judith, were delighted at her progress in the primary school near their home in Cratloe, Co Clare, where she had the help of a special needs assistant (SNA) for 30 hours a week.