Parents protest outside Department of Education over lack of special school places

Parents at a 24-hour sleep-out outside the Department of Education want to meet with Helen McEntee, the minister for education, about plans for their children who have not received offers of a school place. File photo: Brian Lawless/PA

Families who were promised school places for their children last year have been left without a place for another consecutive year, according to parents protesting outside the Department of Education.

At least 118 students who have additional needs are understood to have not received an offer of a school place in any school, whether it be mainstream, a special school, or an autism class.

Parents are today launching a 24-hour sleep-out outside the Department of Education to highlight what they say is a worsening crisis. Parent Charlotte Cahill, from Tallaght, told the Irish Examiner that the group wants to meet with Helen McEntee, the minister for education.

She has been fighting for a school place for her daughter Cyra for several years. Her daughter has now attended pre-school for three years in a row and has once again been left without the offer of a school place for September.

At least 32 students are known to still be without a second-level school place, and more than 70 are waiting for primary school places, according to Ms Cahill. A further 20 students are in inappropriate school placements.

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“That could mean anything from a child in mainstream with no support, to a child in mainstream with some support or in an autism class when they should be in a special school,” she said.

While the majority of parents who have come forward are based in Dublin, others are from Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny, Dundalk, Carlow, Kildare, Wexford, Laois, and Athlone.

“Initially we’re looking to get a meeting with the minister for education to hear what they plan to do with these children,” Ms Cahill said.

Last year, she met with previous ministers as part of the D15 Campaign, which was established after children were not given school places in 2023.

“I was promised that we would get a school place. We would like to meet with Helen McEntee and not just get her word but get exact timelines on when we’re going to have these children in school. 

“We’re being told we have places for every child yet we still have children from last year, and the year before, and the year before.

We have one parent in the group and her child is nine and has never been to school.

“Some of them were promised school places and those school places still haven’t come to light. It's unbelievable,” she added.

Ms Cahill said that not being in school has been harmful for her daughter.

"I fear to think about it to be honest. There’s no other option for us at this time. When she’s not in school she has the most severe self-injurious behaviours.”