Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and I appreciate him letting me speak. The results of this report are no surprise to parents or anyone involved with special education in Cork city. This Government and previous Governments have failed children with additional needs. Schools like Scoil Íosagáin in Farranree are crying out for additional autism spectrum disorder, ASD, classes. Rathcormac National School is crying out for special needs classes, having been passed. I hear from parents whose children now must go into mainstream education because there are not enough places, or no places, in the schools they attend. A new special school was promised in September for Carrignavar. Due to issues, this will probably not be delivered until next year. The children will have to travel from Fermoy. I know families who are living in the heart of the city, in Farranree, Gurranabraher and Ballyphehane, whose children will have to travel to Fermoy. These are children with additional needs. Some of them are going in the opposite direction, down to Rochestown or Carrigaline. They are spending on average of 45 minutes travelling each way. Surely these children should be getting the education where they live. We have pre-verbal children who have never had speech and language therapists. Parents are fighting for everything. They cannot even get basic hygiene supplies for their children. Surely this is just a given. Parents should just have to ask for this and it should be given to them.

The most vulnerable children are being let down again. Parents are asking me why they must fight for everything. Why must parents fight for everything when they have a child with additional needs or a child with a disability? What is this Government going to say to them? Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have jumped from one fire to another when it comes to children with disabilities. Parents have stood outside this Dáil and camped overnight here. They have led marches and protests, fighting for school places and therapies to help their children. These children deserve to reach their potential. By not having the services, school places and assessments of need, these children will not reach their potential. The Government is ignoring the law when it comes to those children.

Children with additional needs are some of the most vulnerable in the State. I plead with the Minister of State and the Government to deliver because it is time. I know the Government is trying to do certain things but it is only a drop in the ocean. We have an emergency in special education. Scoil Eoin in Ballincollig is looking for three additional ASD classes. Some children who go to the school have brothers or sisters who may be on the spectrum but these children cannot go to the school. How can that be right?

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