More new special needs classes for Laois but schools will have sort out accommodation

The Department of Education has given the green light to nine Laois schools for new classes for children who require special needs education this September but schools will have to provide the accommodation.

These new classes will provide 54 new places for students with additional needs in Laois, amidst a current crisis for school places. Five of the schools are in the Portlaoise area. Two are secondary schools

Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming announced on February 28 that the Department sanctioned classes for three schools but it emerged on March 7 that a total of nine schools were sanctioned for classes on February 28.

The Department have also announced that they are progressing the provision of additional accommodation for St Francis Special School in Portlaoise.

"Education and special education are a priority for Fianna Fáil in Government," Deputy Fleming told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"Providing new additional classes and learning facilities for children with special needs is an important part of this. Children must always come first, especially those with special needs.

"From September, these schools are sanctioned to have a new special class with two special education teachers and one Special Needs Assistant (SNA) each. That's three staff per six students," he said.

The Fianna Fáil TD indicated accommodating the classes could be an issue.

"The staffing and school places have been approved, the next step will be the accommodation. I will be upfront on this; this will be easier on some schools to manage than others.

"Some locations are seeing surges in population. Some schools will double up with extra facilities, while some schools will convert a classroom for these special classes. Other schools may have to resort to temporary accommodation such as prefabs.

"It will be hard work at short notice, and there will be a mix of accommodation types for these classes, but children come first. You cannot leave a child without a proper education, no child can be refused a place in school. The constitution says that all children should be treated equally," Dep Fleming said.

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"Creating new special classes has been a priority for the Government over the past five years. There were 32 special classes in the county five years ago, there are now 93 with this new announcement. That means 558 school places for children with special needs, and a lot of SNAs and special teachers too," he said.

"The classes and the staff have been sanctioned by the Government, it's now down to the schools and their Board of Managements. I accept that hard work has to be done, and it should start now," Deputy Fleming finished.

Laois parents of children with additional needs have been crying for more school places, with one Laois mother reporting that she must give up work to homeschool her autistic child due to a lack of places in special classes.

Pictured: Portarlington Mum Sofia Tyrell must homeschool her son Issac due to a lack of places in special classes

Following this story, Sinn Féin Senator Maria McCormack took to Leinster House to advocate for more special classes in Laois.

In a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live Sen McCormack said she highlighted what she described as the devastating impact this crisis is having on families, particularly in Laois, where she said she regularly receives calls from desperate parents unable to secure a school place for their children.

“In Laois alone, I’ve spoken to parents who have been turned away by 26 schools. I’ve spoken to fathers breaking down in tears because their children, who should be thriving in a classroom, are regressing at home,” said the Portlaoise senator.

“This is not a personal choice—this is Government failure,” she stated. 

Sen McCormack demanded that the Minister for Education immediately commit to providing a suitable place to every child by September.