Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

The question of disability services for children with additional needs is now a very significant national issue. It is second only to the housing emergency. The State is failing these children every day. Over 14,000 are waiting for an assessment of need, which is in breach of the law. Some 41,000 are waiting for therapy services and well over 100 are waiting for school places. If we are honest, thousands of children are in inappropriate school places. Parents are at their wits' end and are completely frustrated in their search for places for their children. I recently raised the case of Michael Joseph Barrett, a young boy with autism. His family got 16 rejection letters before eventually getting a school place. Of course, the family is relieved but the school place is 15 miles away, which is completely outside the area and away from his community and friends. This is not good enough. Parents are sleeping out in search of school places for their children and others are being dragged through the courts in search of them. At the same time, there are schools that are ready, willing and able to provide places but, for some reason, the Department has refused to approve these schools. In particular, I refer to Bansha National School in County Tipperary. The number of children in inappropriate school places is absolutely huge. It is in the thousands. That is a result of assessments of need not being done. It is not good enough.

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