Cork TD slams lack of data on special needs class gaps

A Cork Sinn Féin TD has criticised the Government for what he says is a continued failure in providing special education needs placement data.

Cork South Central TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire stated that education minister Helen McEntee has not yet provided the joint Oireachtas committee on education and youth with the breakdown of how many students are still without a special education needs place for the new school year.

He added that this is despite the fact that the minister committed to providing the committee with the information in mid-July.

Mr Ó Laoghaire said: “Minister McEntee attended the joint Oireachtas committee on education and youth in June and confirmed that she would provide the committee with the number of students in primary, secondary, and special schools who do not have a special educational needs class place for September 2025. She failed to do that.

“On August 5, the committee secretariat wrote to the minister, urging her to follow through on her commitment and to provide the figures of how many children are still without a secure [special education needs] class or school placement for September.

“This is disgraceful. It is no way to treat the Oireachtas committee. More importantly, it is no way to treat parents and children.

“These figures must be provided to the committee immediately. Committee members should not have to write to a minister to urge them to provide an answer to a question of such importance, particularly when that minister committed to answering said question.

“This lack of willingness to provide the numbers of children still without a [special education needs] class place is deeply worrying and will have a knock-on effect.

“Parents face sleepless nights not knowing if their child will have an adequate school place by September. Schools cannot plan supports without knowing enrolment gaps.”

Mr Ó Laoghaire said he is urging the minister to release the figures and to move quickly to ensure that every child who still needs a SEN place has one.

The Echo has contacted the Department Of Education for comment.