Cork education: Minister vows to make every effort to deliver sufficient special education classes

Michael Moynihan, the special education and inclusion minister, has moved to assure parents that every effort will be made to provide places for children in special education classes next September.

The Cork North-West Fianna Fáil TD was speaking to The Echo after a visit with the staff and pupils of St Killian’s Special School in Mayfield, one of a number of special schools in the Cork area that he visited on Friday, and following protests on successive weeks in Dublin and Cork by parents seeking places for their children.

“We are working extremely hard, we are correlating all the information at the moment,” Mr Moynihan said. 

“We have sanctioned 300 classes. There are more classes being sanctioned over the next couple of weeks.”

“We are working extremely hard to ensure we can deliver places for everybody,” Mr Moynihan said.

“I understand the plight the parents are in. I understand the challenges they have and we will do whatever we can within the department, the NCSE (National Council for Special Education) and at government level to make sure we can do that.

“I passionately believe that we have to do it and we’re going to try and do it,” Mr Moynihan said.

An additional special education class that was being sought for Bweeng National School in North Cork had been sanctioned, he said. Eleven other schools in the Cork area had also been greenlit for the addition of special education classes.

These schools are in Midleton, Cobh, Glanmire, Mallow, Millstreet, Montenotte, Dromcollogher, Doneraile, Fermoy, and Coachford.

The announcement was welcomed by Cork North Central Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O’Sullivan, who said it was important that the momentum be maintained and he described the announcement as “real progress”.

“I know many families are still waiting for the services they need, and more needs to be done,” said the TD.

“More announcements are expected in the coming weeks, and I will remain fully engaged with my government colleagues, the department, the NCSE (National Council for Special Education), local schools, and families to advocate for increased investment in special education across Cork and beyond,” Mr O’Sullivan said.