Cork special school yet to open already has waiting list

Mother of boy with additional needs cannot secure school place

The East Cork Community Special School is set to open in Carrigtwohill in November. 

A mother whose son was last month diagnosed with an intellectual disability cannot get him a place in a Cork school because it already has a waiting list, despite not yet being open.

The East Cork Community Special School is set to open in Carrigtwohill in November. 

It will do so with 18 primary and secondary-level students.

The Department of Education told the Irish Examiner that there is already a waiting list for the school.

A spokeswoman for the Cork Education and Training Board said: “Cork Education and Training Board is working to a date of Monday, November 6 as the opening day for East Cork Community Special School.

“A principal for the school was appointed this week and Cork ETB is currently in the process of recruiting other staff.”

The school is for students, aged 4 to 18, who have a diagnosis of autism and complex learning needs and for students with complex learning needs, who require the support of a special school setting, according to Cork ETB.

The mother of a 15-year-old boy who has recently been diagnosed with a mild intellectual disability says her son has returned to a unit in a mainstream school elsewhere in east Cork on a part-time basis.

He also has a diagnosis of autism and ADHD and is attached to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the East Cork Disability Network services.

During the last academic year, he could not cope in mainstream school as he is not on the same level as his peers either emotionally or socially.

He should be starting his third year in school and planning ahead for his Junior Certificate exams.

Local Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry said he is not surprised that there is already a waiting list for places in the new school.

The woman, who does not want to be identified to protect her family, believes he needs to be a in special school, with peers, and able to avail of occupational therapy, speech therapy, and life skills.

She says: “Next month, I can apply for a place for next year, for September 2024 [in the East Cork Community Special School].

“The applications for this year have been closed — we missed the window.”

Local Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry said he is not surprised that there is already a waiting list for places in the new school.

But he said: “What we need to look at is how many places are actually needed in the East Cork region.

“I have no doubt that 18 places won’t be anything like enough but it is a start.”

He added: “Carrigtwohill and East Cork is going through a rapid expansion, population-wise.

“If that is the case, you have to put the social infrastructure in place and this is a key part of it. What we are doing is playing catch-up. It is a great news story, it is brilliant that we have this school but whether the capacity will be enough is another thing.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has confirmed that a waiting list has been put in place.

The spokeswoman added: “It is envisaged that the new special school will continue to grow and expand to support additional students over time.”

In addition, 388 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2023/24 school year, she said.

She added: “78 of the new special classes sanctioned for the 2023/24 school year are in Cork, 54 at primary level and 24 at post-primary.”