The government\u2019s half-hearted approach to creating adequate school places in Cork for children with special needs is an insult to the families breaking their backs to ensure their kids receive an education, according to the Social Democrats.<\/p>\n
Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice, who is a TD for Cork South-Central, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cShamefully, it is estimated there are around 100 children in Cork without school places for this September.<\/p>\n
\u201cYet again, parents are being forced out onto the street to fight once more for their children’s right to an education and school supports.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday will see the second overnight protest in just over a month, with the Equality in Education group holding a 24-hour sleepout outside D\u00e1il Eireann. I was delighted to stand in solidarity with parents and families today and attend a briefing to hear their experiences first-hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is unacceptable that the Minister for Education is still unable to guarantee that children with additional needs will be allocated a suitable place in September.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s now clear that their concerns have not been adequately addressed and the most basic rights of children are being ignored.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Department of Education isn\u2019t even aware of how many children are without a school place. It is obvious this research is not being carried out, and that there appears to be no engagement with creches and preschools to determine which children will need a special education place.<\/p>\n
\u201cAcquiring this data is essential if we want to get a handle on this crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cork East TD Liam Quaide said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWith a critical shortage of places for children with additional needs, the government must implement immediate measures across the country, including in Cork, to address these shortcomings.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to express my support for those parents taking part in today\u2019s sleep-out. It is crucial that their voices are heard and their children\u2019s needs are catered for.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur education system is failing these families. Immediate, decisive action is required to end this injustice.\u201d<\/p>\n
April 2, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The government\u2019s half-hearted approach to creating adequate school places in Cork for children with special needs is an insult to the families breaking their backs to ensure their kids receive an education, according to the Social Democrats. Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice, who is a TD for Cork South-Central, said: \u201cShamefully, it is estimated there are around […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12030,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[218,652,642,7,479],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-liam-quaide","category-padraig-rice","category-press-release","category-unlisted"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n