'We are being fobbed off': Parents frustrated at lack of progress on new Cork special school

Dozens of Cork children remain without school places as work has yet to commence at site of derelict school in Carrignavar, which is due to open in September

Work has yet to commence at the former site of Scoil an Athar Tadhg in Carrignavar, which has been earmarked by the Department of Education for a new special school for Cork. 

“To be honest, I think we are just being fobbed off. I don’t believe for a second that this place is going to be open for September 2025, not a chance.” 

Those were the words of Sheila Casey Jones, a North Cork mother who remains without an offer of a school place for her son Patrick, 12. 

The family featured in the Irish Examiner at the beginning of March, after receiving a string of rejections for a special school place. 

In desperation, Ms Casey Jones has attempted to secure a school place for her oldest son as far away as Donegal, Laois and Kilkenny.

The family must relocate from their current home by this summer, but without an offer of a school place, the move is proving impossible.

Patrick's case went on to be raised in the Dáil with Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Despite this, they are no closer to a school place offer. 

Ms Casey Jones is one of many parents around the country attempting to secure appropriate school places for their children with additional needs for the new school year.

A new special school is needed this year for Cork, a fact recognised by both the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

It is one of five such projects announced last October, early on as part of a bid to avoid the annual scramble by authorities to find appropriate school places.

However, when the Irish Examiner visited the earmarked site in the rural village of Carrignavar this week, no form of building work had yet to commence, and the site remains uncleared. 

The 2.5 acre site, previously home to the village’s primary school, which moved to a new school campus in 2023, will require much work to become functional again.

Now derelict, the former school buildings and classrooms will require much work to be brought back into use.

Now derelict, the former school buildings and classrooms will require much work to be brought back into use.

Meanwhile, dozens of parents remain without places. 

“We need to know if this school in Carrignavar is supposedly opening up in September of this year, there’s a lot of families waiting," Ms Casey Jones said. 

"I have no other options, I have zero other options for Patrick, he can’t be homeschooled. It doesn’t work for him but nor should he have to, nor should any child have to. 

It's disgusting the way these children are being treated, and its disgusting how these families are being treated.

Kenneth Stone from Ballincollig also requires a special school place for his son Harry, 7. Harry currently attends an ASD class but last summer received a cognitive assessment, recommending he attends a special school.

“He’s not getting any access to therapies. He can’t stay in the classroom, and he’s on reduced hours.” Mr Stone is also doubtful the new special school will open in time for September. 

“It won’t open this year anyway, absolutely not.” He had been sent a video of the site, which he was “horrified” to see. 

“The site needs to be cleared. There’s debris everywhere.

 “We got no support or help from them — we went out and protested, we spoke to the TDs and ministers and still there’s still nothing coming back to us.”

It is understood the lead-in times to install modular classrooms are currently taking about nine months.

As well as Carrignavar, the other four special schools due to open are in Kishogue Cross, Lucan; Belmayne, North Dublin; Castleblaney, Monaghan; and Nenagh in Tipperary.

The details are included in briefing notes prepared for minister of state with responsibility for special education Michael Moynihan, published by the Department of Education.

The plans were announced late last October to cater for the increasing number of students with special educational needs up to the age of 18.

When they were announced, the department said the five schools were being sanctioned “as early as possible” as part of advanced forward planning for the upcoming 2025/26 school year and to “ensure that appropriate placements are available where needed to meet the needs of students with special educational needs.” 

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It followed an analysis carried out by the NCSE and the department that identified the level of need in these particular areas could not be catered for by expanding places in existing special schools.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education confirmed it plans to repurpose the former primary school building in Carrignavar to facilitate the opening of the new special school "as early as possible in the 2025/26 school year". 

More than 70 additional places will be created in special schools in Cork for the 2025/26 school year, as well as 300 new special class places. 

This "increased level of specialist provision" has the capacity to meet the needs of children in Cork for the 2025/26 school year. 

The department is working with Cork ETB to also increase provision at Rochestown Community Special School and East Cork Community Special School in Carrigtwohill.  Provision is also expected to increase at a number of other existing special schools.