Local opposition TDs have banded together to take the government to task on the issue of special needs education in Dublin 15.
Sinn Féin TD Paul Donnelly, Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger and Green TD Roderic O’Gorman grilled Fianna Fáil’s Michael Moynihan this week on what is being done to improve the conditions in St. Mochta’s in Clonsilla.
Specifically, the three TDs are questioning how a case of crossed wires and miscommunication between government departments has resulted in serious, real-world consequences for students with additional needs.
The Dáil heard that as a result of unclear communication between government departments, the school, and parents, some students with additional needs run the risk of missing out on a school place because certain deadlines were not met, and there was severe ambiguity over how this information was communicated.
Late last year, it was announced that the school would open two classes to accommodate students with additional educational needs; one in a temporary set-up in the library, and the other in a modular classroom.
The school principal was informed that the school was exempt from the National Council for Special Education’s February deadline, which otherwise would have required it to register with the organisation.
In late June, it was announced that special school places have been allocated to 11 students at the school, but six will miss out.
It is those six students, the opposition TDs assert, that don’t deserve to miss out on a school place because of poorly defined communication from a government agency.
Coppinger called the situation “bizarre,” and said that time was against them in this instance.
Coppinger explained, “we do not know how this happened because at a meeting that was convened the other night, the management of the school told TDs that they had verbal approval from the NCSE that these parents would be facilitated.”
“It makes sense because the classes are not even ready yet. It would make sense to remain where they are and then move in when the classes are ready. There is very little time to raise this. We are now in that situation.”
Coppinger noted, “the parents would have had legitimate expectations from the NCSE that they would receive a placement in the special classes when they opened, and that was the understanding of the principals.”
Donnelly said, “we need clarification from the NCSE as to how it will resolve this for all of those parents. Every child, as we have always said, deserves a place.”
Outlining the version of events, Donnelly relayed that the school principal met with all parents on 5 March 2025 to advise the parents of the next steps and share commitments from the SENO to waive the deadline of 19 February.
Per Donnelly, all parents contacted the SENO and received eligibility letters from the SENO on dates ranging from 14 March to 7 April 2025, and all parents had a legitimate expectation that they would be offered a place.
He told the Dáil, “we are unsure about where the truth lies; there are two different versions of what is going on, and that needs to be resolved.”
O’Gorman said, “I understand the NCSE is attempting to address the crisis we have for places in special classes, and I know it is acting quickly.”
“However, the way it has acted in the context of St. Mochta’s is not the right solution,” the Green leader said.
“Every child in Dublin 15 deserves an appropriate place in the right school. We can address and fix this in St. Mochta’s. It is important that the Department and the NCSE engage with the school and resolve this.”
Minister of State at the Department of Education Michael Moynihan told the three Dublin West TDs that the government is actively working to resolve the situation.
Moynihan, who has specific responsibility for special education and inclusion within the Irish education system, said “the government is fully committed to supporting all children with additional needs to achieve their full potential.”
“It is a core priority of the work of the Department of Education that every child should receive a school place that meets their needs; there is a significant body of work being undertaken to ensure that this is the case,” he said.
With regards to this specific situation, Moynihan said the Department of Education and the NCSE were making arrangements to meet with the school to solve the matter as soon as possible.
“The priority for the NCSE and for the Department has been to ensure that these children and young people are prioritised for enrolment in special classes and in special schools,” he said.
In this specific scenario, the confusion over whether parents should have contacted the NCSE or not remains an unsolved mystery, and Donnelly was keen to make sure the same mistakes don’t happen again.
“All parents contacted the SENO and received eligibility letters from the SENO on dates ranging from 14 March to 7 April 2025, and all parents had a legitimate expectation that they would be offered a place,” he noted.
Coppinger added, “I would be extremely concerned if other parents were offered these places and would then have to be told they do not have alternatives. It is a real problem situation.”
“The issue is that, according to the school, it did not have sanction for these two classes by the February deadline and, therefore, it only got the sanction in April, and there was an agreement that the February deadline would be waived; that is what we have been told.”
Coppinger said, “it is good that 16 classes are sanctioned for Dublin 15 but while that sounds like a lot, when we take in the population of the area and the age profile, it is not. We need those classes opened as soon as possible. We still have 12 children waiting for Danu places since last year.”
Moynihan told the three opposition TDs, “I ask the Deputies to get the message out there that we need the information early in the school year in order to plan properly, so we are not in a situation next year where we are heading into the school holidays and do not have places.”
“We need the information earlier. All of the Deputies are working on the ground and know the families. I ask them to get the message out there that the NCSE has to be notified of the information early so we can carry out proper planning and ensure that families are not in a stressful position.