Labour Calls for urgent commitment by Government to solve Crisis in Special Education in Dublin 15 and deliver essential support for children with additional needs, following publication of report of Task Force on Special Education in Dublin 15
Labour Calls for urgent commitment by Government to solve Crisis in Special Education in Dublin 15 and deliver essential support for children with additional needs, following publication of report of Task Force on Special Education in Dublin 15 - The Labour Party
- Walsh says Publication of report is long overdue
Cllr John Walsh (Labour, Dublin 15) welcomed publication of the Report of the Task Force on Special Education in Dublin 15 and called on the Government to deliver the necessary resources to implement the recommendations in full:
“The publication of the report of the Task Force is long overdue – indeed the report was presented to the previous Minister for Education, Helen McEntee TD, in June 2025 and it is finally being published almost a year later.
“I welcome the recommendations of the report, which reflect the extraordinary work and commitment of parents and educators in Dublin 15 and above all are a result of the consistent advocacy of Autism School Dublin 15. The Government has to act urgently now to implement the recommendations in full and resolve the long running crisis in special education in Dublin 15.
“The Government has a moral obligation to deliver the necessary resources for key recommendations so that every child has an appropriate school place and has an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential.
“The report reveals that 40% of referrals to CDNTs in the Dublin 15 area are currently on the CDNT Waiting List – this is a scandal which means that early intervention simply never happens for many children and they are neglected by the system.
“Primary Care and CDNT services must now be resourced adequately to provide timely assessment and intervention to children with additional needs in early learning and care providers and schools.
“Dublin 15 has a higher population than Limerick city but has only a single special school to serve children with additional educational needs – earlier this year, Dublin 15 was not included in the latest announcements on new special schools.
“The Government has to commit to additional special school provision for the Dublin 15 area through the establishment of a new special school.
“This is a report that reflects seven years of work, activism and campaigning by parents – it is long past time that the Government gave the most vulnerable children in our society the priority they deserve.”