Lack of funding forcing children with additional needs to travel across Cork county to school

“It is a lot to ask a child or parent from north Cork, to send their children to someplace like, for instance, Rochestown, and have to go through the Jack Lynch tunnel on a daily basis.”

Sean Sherlock: "We seem to accept the fact that children have to travel long distances to get to school in the morning when they are trying to access a special school." File photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Parents in north Cork have no certainty about school places for their children with additional needs, the Dáil heard on Wednesday.

An increasing number of families from north Cork must access education in special schools in Cork city, particularly for children with intellectual disabilities, according to Labour TD for Cork East Seán Sherlock. Mr Sherlock said he raised the issue after being contacted by parents in the area.