Cork mother to join sleep-out highlighting lack of school places for children with special needs

A Cork mother will attend a sleep-out protest today in Dublin to raise awareness of the need for additional primary school places for special needs children.

Ballygarvan native Dara Neary, who is a special needs teacher, will be joining up to 50 other parents outside the Department of Education buildings on Marlborough St for the organised demonstration.

Ms Neary’s son Richie, 5, has a rare chromosomal disorder which means he needs additional support within the education system. 

Since applications for primary school places opened in October, Richie has been rejected from 10 eligible Cork-based special needs schools, as all of them have stated that they are at capacity for the coming academic year.

Speaking to The Echo, Ms Neary said she has a “feeling of helplessness” for her child as Richie’s twin brother Davie, who does not require additional supports, has been accepted to a school this coming September, while Richie is left without a place.

“The human stress of this is desperate,” said Ms Neary.

“This is his right — he’s a human being. 

“They can’t say he belongs nowhere.

“I’ve had enough,” she said. “We’re doing everything we can for him [and] I’m so worried about the next stage of his life.

“[The protest] is to highlight the lack of school places, and we’re going to lay out a school bag for every child that’s locked out of education.”

Ms Neary also highlighted how a lack of services for children with special needs opens the discussion for improved supports within mainstream schools.

“I would hope for a new special school for Cork, because clearly the need is there, [but] the days of separating siblings in schools should be over,” she said.

“We got our last rejection last week. We only had one school left to hear from, so I knew we were in trouble.

“I think all schools should have a special class in a mainstream setting.”