Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Conor D. McGuinness, has criticised the Government’s decision to bring forward the deadline for parents to notify the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) that they wish to accept a special school place, describing it as another example of families being expected to pay the price for Government failures.

Deputy McGuinness said:

“Families of children with additional needs already face enough uncertainty. Many are still waiting on assessments, therapies and supports, yet the Government has decided to move this deadline even earlier.

“Parents are already trying to navigate an overly complicated system. Instead of making that process easier, Ministers are moving the goalposts once again. It is completely unfair on families who are doing everything they can to secure the right education for their child.

“The Government says this is needed to feed into the budget process. That tells you everything you need to know. Decisions about children’s education should be driven by their needs, not by the Department’s budgetary pressures.

“There will be families who simply cannot meet this deadline because they are still waiting on assessments or other documentation through no fault of their own. Those children must not lose out because the system has failed them.

“Every child deserves an appropriate school place. The Government has a responsibility to plan ahead, provide enough places and ensure no family is disadvantaged by arbitrary administrative deadlines.

“Parents deserve certainty, not another hurdle placed in their way. The Government should reverse this decision and focus instead on delivering the special education capacity that children and families have been crying out for.”