Irish Examiner view: Scarcity of special education places is not good enough

Evidence shows us the current system is not fit for purpose 

School bags hanging on the fence during a protest in Dublin on Saturday, over a lack of school places for autistic children. Picture: Justin Farrelly/RollingNews.ie

The failure to provide adequate numbers of special education places has stained the records of successive governments, and the current administration is not off to a good start either. Today, the Irish Examiner tells the story of Sheila Casey Jones, who is considering a move from her home in north Cork to a part of Ireland where her two sons can attend special schools.

Ms Casey has been told that all special schools in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, Tipperary, Clare, and Galway are full for this September, so she is looking into relocating to Laois or Kilkenny to avail of services in those counties.