Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Earlier this month, St. John's special school in Dungarvan, County Waterford, had to operate a draw overseen by a local Garda superintendent. The draw was not for a raffle to raise money; it was to allocate places in the school for children with additional needs. This is the kind of dystopian ritual that schools are being forced to undertake due to chronic under-resourcing of special education. There are now 20 children from west Waterford, Cork and south Tipperary who are on the waiting list for St. John's. One of them is Jay Meehan, who is four years old. Jay's mother, Rebecca, has said that the State is playing EuroMillions with her son's education. I want to be clear that I am not blaming the school; it was put in invidious position. The blame for this lies squarely on the shoulders of this Government and those that preceded it. Children should not have to enter a draw to get an education; it is outrageous. Every child has a right to an education. This is the bare minimum. We have economic prosperity like never before. Will parents of children with additional needs have to endure the current stress of long commutes to school? How long will this go on?

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