Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

Last Friday evening, the parents of five families were informed that their children, who were disabled and some of whom were suffering from autism, would no longer be allowed to attend the primary school at Marymount, Ballsgrove, Drogheda. They were given no notice and told their children could not attend on Monday morning. They are very concerned and deeply upset by this decision of the board of management.

Yesterday morning, in the freezing cold, the parents and children were in protest outside the school. They are very worried about what has happened and feel they have been treated appallingly and abysmally. I rang the school and asked to speak to the principal, who was unavailable. My call was never returned. I rang the Minister's office and explained the problem fully but that call was not returned either. It is a disgrace that the Minister's office did not see fit to update me on a meeting that took place in the school yesterday afternoon between the local education inspector, the school principal and the health board.

The parents and their children have been excluded from consultation and were excluded from the aforementioned meeting. I understand there may be a meeting tomorrow morning at which they will be informed about what took place at the other meeting. Given the Government's so-called commitment to disability and the money it has committed to disabled persons' services, it is a shame that the people in question have been treated in such a disgraceful manner. It is absolutely unacceptable.

I have been informed by parents today that the unit just may be opened again after Easter. How are they to care for their special needs children in the meantime? There is no way the Department and the school authorities should be let away with this. The reality is that if a proper Minister for Education and Science were running a proper system, this would never happen. If there were a difficulty, it would be discussed fully and transparently. Communications would be much better than they are at present.

I do not know what is in the Minister of State's reply and I can only guess it is waffle from the office of the Minister. I regret that is the case. The parents have told me they will continue to protest publicly and in the strongest possible manner until their children are treated like decent, proper human beings. What has occurred is creating much stress for everybody concerned.

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