Lack of full-time places for 9 pupils ‘unacceptable’

THE Department of Education says it is unacceptable that a Cork special needs school will not offer full-time classes to nine children for whom teaching and other staff have been provided.

The families of the children with severe autism or profound disabilities are still waiting for a solution to the situation at 38-pupil St Gabriel’s Special School in Bishopstown, where they were due to start last week.

The school told them it could provide five days of teaching a fortnight because of staff being withdrawn by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The NCSE last night said its special educational needs organiser for the school and the organiser for Cork have invited the school principal to meet them today.

But the Department of Education said that, even with two fewer teachers than last year, the eight St Gabriel’s has is one more than the number allowed for a special school of that size with such a mix of pupils. A department spokeswoman said last night that it is hoped talks with the NCSE will resolve the issue.

“The staffing provided to this school was given on the basis of the enrolment for this school year, which includes the nine children,” she said.

“On this basis, it is unacceptable that a school will not provide [full-time] places for children for whom they have accepted resources from the department and the NCSE.”

The school board, which discussed the situation on Monday, said yesterday it cannot comment while awaiting the outcome of deliberations with relevant authorities. It said last week it was offering the nine pupils part-time places until the NCSE reconsiders the withdrawal of two staff.

But Ciara Ryan from Cobh, whose daughter Lucy had her first day at school yesterday, said she expects her to be given the full-time place she was promised last year. The five-year-old was born with a disease that causes growths on the brain, is at the severe end of the autistic spectrum, has an intellectual disability and suffers from epilepsy.

“She’s just in the door and she’s exhausted. She seems content, but it’s hard to tell because she has no verbal communication,” said Ciara.

She said the family dropped an appeal against the school’s refusal to enrol Lucy in 2010 after being given a guarantee of a place this year. But they are looking at taking another appeal to the Department of Education if the situation is not resolved.