Parents being 'pushed, forced, or guilted' into reduced timetable at Cork special school

Both schools were established in recent years in direct response to a lack of planned school places for children with special educational needs.

Community special schools are State-funded and come under the patronage of local Education and Training Boards (ETBs). Many of the new special schools opened across the country in recent years are community special schools.

At Leinster House, parents called for the immediate appointment of full-time behavioural therapists, the establishment of multidisciplinary teams in every school, and the creation of a Hiqa-style statutory unit within the Department of Education inspectorate to carry out spot inspections.

Last September, a number of parents at CCSS highlighted their fears about a culture of suspensions at the school, which they believed were happening without addressing the root causes, leading to students becoming dysregulated and ‘lashing out’.

'You shouldn't have to wait five years'

Niamh O’Grady, whose child attends CCSS, told TDs that these suspensions and shortened hours were often done without process or consultation and without mandatory reporting, which can lead to parents being "pushed, forced, or guilted" into accepting shortened days for their children.

She said that improvements had been made after the school closed for a period earlier this year, but that therapies should be made available without years-long waits.

"When you get those kind of resources, it really helps. But you shouldn't have to wait five years for that to happen, and particularly with regard to the therapies," said Ms O'Grady.

"We need our children to have direct therapeutic intervention, for the therapists to work directly with their children, and that isn't happening. 

"So, of course, I agree that special schools should be opening, but you need to open them fully resourced. You need to open them right. Otherwise, you're setting our children up to fail, to be dysregulated and misunderstood."

Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Irish Examiner in New York that while there have been “teething issues”, the model is working.

“I don't accept those criticisms,” said Mr Martin.

“When we established the Carrigaline Community School model under the auspices of the Education Training Board (ETB), we did so deliberately and with an eye on the future, because the State has to get more involved directly in the provision of special education. I think the ETBs have a key role in the future in special education.

“Quite a number of parents have been pleased with the journey that their children have had in Carrigaline Special school.”

Mr Martin argued that before the school was opened, there was a “huge problem” with getting school places for children with additional needs.

He said the number of special schools across the country has increased and has been “transformational”.

He acknowledged that there had been “teething issues” with the Carrigaline school.