Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Deputy Bruton, for taking this serious Topical Issue matter. Gorey community school is the largest post-primary school in Ireland with 1,577 students. It is an inclusive school with 211 students with identified special educational needs. The school does a lot of good work and is not selective with regard to students with learning difficulties.

There are 40 students in the school with autism spectrum disorder, ASD, for 12 of which the school has applied for two classes comprising six pupils in each. That is the background to what Gorey community school wants to do to ensure these students have the best possible care and opportunity to learn and progress through education.

The application for an ASD unit went through the process but the school was informed that Creagh College, under the patronage of the Waterford-Wexford Education and Training Board, already has such a unit. The unit is in Creagh College but, amazingly, it does not have any students or staff to run it. The students and staff are in one school, but the ASD unit on the other side of Gorey has the physical facility. One could not make it up.

That is the background to where things stand. In a letter to the Department of Education and Skills, the principal of Gorey community school, Mr. Michael Finn, stated, "The fact is that while Creagh College has a physical facility, Gorey community school has the students enrolled and has the responsibility of addressing their [i.e. students with ASD] significant needs which are not being appropriately met in Gorey community school." A note attached to that letter, which also went to the Department, states:

There is no safe space or room available to remove students who present with extremely challenging behaviour. This is impacting on the school's ability to meet these students' complex needs, as in one instance a placement is in danger of becoming untenable.

That suggests to me that the school is doing its very best. It is not good enough for the Department to respond by saying they have spent the money and that the physical space is in another school where there are no students or staff. This matter needs to be brought to a conclusion, so I look forward to the Minister's response.

See this speech in context