Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)

I want to again raise issues relating to special education supports for schools in Wicklow. I previously raised them in the context of Topical Issues and parliamentary questions and I wrote to the Minister of State directly on two occasions. Ashford national school has two SNAs. One of them is fully allocated to one student. The schools' request for additional support was rejected and its appeal has been postponed. Marino special school in Bray had its SNA review cancelled two days before it was due to take place. They have had no information since then. The Dominican College in Wicklow was due to open an ASD classroom this September. It had accepted students on that basis and then the classroom was cancelled. St. Laurence's in Greystones had its SNA review cancelled at short notice. New Court special school is missing nearly half the SNA supports it needs. My feeling is that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is moving from one process to another that is due to begin in the next school year. However, that is leaving huge gaps for schools preparing for September. Can the Minister for Education please look into this matter and have it resolved?

I am not sure the Minister is aware that there are 120 primary schoolchildren in Wicklow town and Rathnew who do not have school places for September. I am aware of a number of students in Greystones who also do not have places.

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