McEntee must intervene before sleep out at Leinster House tomorrow
McEntee must intervene before sleep out at Leinster House tomorrow - The Labour Party
- Parents should not have to be in constant battle with the State
- Shocking that Department does not have accurate data collection mechanisms
Labour education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny said it is simply unbelievable and unacceptable that a group of over 200 parents of children without suitable school placements for September are forced to camp outside Leinster House tomorrow to raise the plight of their children.
Deputy Kenny said:
“It beggars belief that parents of children with additional needs remain in the dark about where their child will go to school in September. Why are these parents forced to be in constant battle with the State?
“The failure of successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Ministers to address suitable schooling has an unmeasurable emotional and psychological toll on families, and should never have to come to a sleep out.
“It’s deeply concerning to learn that the NCSE does not even accurately track the demand for school places. This type of short-termism is what is leading to the crisis in special education.
“Every child should be guaranteed an appropriate place and the Minister must come out and offer assurances to parents that their child will have their right to education guaranteed. It should not come to this, no parent should have to sleep on the streets to draw attention to this very basic right.”