Irish Examiner view: Heartbreaking trial for access to education for special needs children

Parents of special needs children need to ‘go to war’ with system for access to schools

Labour Education spokesperson Aodhan O Riordain TD. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, a teacher in another life, told an Oireachtas committee yesterday that parents of children with special needs have to “go to war” to access a school place for their children. “I know of parents who have gone to 15 or 16 schools to try to access a place," he said, "you almost have to go to war with the system in order to access a school place," underlining how families' difficulties can be exacerbated by our systems. 

It must be acknowledged that, in some different settings, the state provides exemplary care for those lucky enough to access it.

Yet, it is impossible to forget that just days ago the same department told the Public Accounts Committee that it had spent over €10m posting payslips over the last six years. Acknowledging how bizarre this is the department conceded that a new payroll system was needed “as a matter of urgency”. 

It needs more than a new payroll system, it needs a new culture of accountability too — and urgently.