Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)

September is a very exciting and important month for many children as they return to school. For some, however, the excitement has been unfairly and cruelly stripped away as their parents struggle to find appropriate school places for them in their localities. As a parent, I cannot imagine the heartbreak facing parents who are unable to secure such places for their children. The Minister for Education has declined to provide the exact number of children with additional needs awaiting school places for the academic year. This indicates that there are many parents who have sadly faced the heartbreak to which I refer this month. Over the summer, it was estimated that more than 400 children would be unable to start school properly this month. If that is the case, it is a disgrace. Shockingly, many of these children did not get an offer of an appropriate school place at all. Some received offers of places but they could not take them up due to essential building works being carried out. It is unacceptable that these building works in schools like Little Angels in Letterkenny have been delayed and that children's education has been delayed. I was delighted to see the school in question officially opened. The Minister of State had a hand in that, and well done to him. I hope no parent is obliged to endure the problem which the parents at this school had to endure.

I take this opportunity to ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to reconsider the proposal for redesignation of special needs schools for children who have mild general learning disabilities set out in Circular 0039/25 and actively engage with schools on the matter. The proposed reclassification of schools would result in many children being returned to mainstream education. Parents and teachers in Donegal have told me this would not be in the children's best interests. Mainstream schools do not have the resources necessary to provide the right environment for these children to thrive.

I call on the Government to support inclusive education in the upcoming budget, to introduce special needs co-ordinators in schools with three or more special education posts and to ensure that this role is recognised as a senior management position with a pay grade similar to that of a deputy principal. No child should be denied the opportunity to grow, thrive, learn and go to school.

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