Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is from a local school:

We have applied for Exceptional [need] Reviews ... [on three different occasions with] 3 different demands of paperwork. All were refused. We have now appealed but are so disheartened and have low expectations.

Throughout the process, not one SENO/NCSE staff has visited our school. Our own SENO has in fairness been supportive but had no role in the reviews which were conducted remotely without any contact with the school.

We already know that the support which is already inadequate for our current group of children ...

It is not enough to say that the government are prioritising children with additional needs- the current system of allocating SNAs is simply not.

It goes on to say:

Why do we have to wait for children to fail to apply for support?

Where is the support for early intervention in primary school and setting up for success as they miss key milestones?

As exasperating as this is for school staff ... [how must it be for parents?]. In our area, most are waiting over 3 years to get access to support from the Children's Disability Teams.

Schools are well placed to support these children but [they] need ... [the supports].

That is after 11 years of the Tánaiste's party being in government-----

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