Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

Every year, families do not fight for a favour, they fight for a basic right: the right to a school place or a school bus for their children with additional needs. This is not a one-off problem. It is one that circles back year after year, with no lessons having been learned from the previous year. In too many communities, children with additional needs cannot even access education in their local schools. Places are not there where they live, so they are pushed to attend distant schools. Even then, a place is not guaranteed. It is as if education has become a lottery. I spoke to a parent in County Meath who told me their child endures a three-hour round trip every day just to get to a school that should be within reach. This shapes a child's life and often hinders his or her ability to integrate into their local communities. Parents of children with additional needs are worn out. If they are not fighting for a school place, they are fighting for a seat on a bus or an SNA. It is a constant battle after battle that many families face and solutions seem out of reach.

This year, many children with additional needs have got tickets for school transport, while parents are then told at the last minute that no bus operator has been hired to do that school run. What needs to be looked at is why operators are not tendering for these school runs or why the process cannot begin sooner. This Government has led to too many of these children being denied the education they deserve. By allowing these gaps to persist, the State is effectively denying children access to education, thereby violating their rights. We demand a clear, funded plan to guarantee sufficient school places for children with additional needs within their local communities. There should be no more endless reshuffles, no more arbitrary delays. We demand reliable transport and support services, with transparent communication between transport providers, schools and families. Education for children with additional needs is non-negotiable. Every child deserves parity of access and quality of school provision. These parents and children deserve more than excuses. Every child with additional needs must be able to access a suitable school place and reliable transport without fear of another unnecessary battle in the future.

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