'It's not just about availability - it's about suitability'

Monaghan's Special Needs Active Parents group will visit Dáil Éireann today to speak to Minister of State for Education Michael Moynihan.

The group will ask the Minister for an update regarding school places for children with additional needs within the county.

Specifically, they will ask for an update on the status of the permanent special schools for the county, and if a location has been selected yet.

"The current site was supposed to be interim," SNAP Treasurer Pamela Kenny stated.

She also claims there is a "complete disconnect" between the number of special classes between primary schools and secondary schools, and they will ask the Minister to "address the gap".

In response to representations made by Deputy Matt Carthy on the availability of special classes in the Dáil last week, Minister for Education Deputy Hildegarde Naughton said there are currently 2,629 special classes available in primary schools; while there are 1,112 special classes in post primary schools.

However, Pamela said figures do not reflect the number of children who are nearing the end of their education in primary school, and who will require a special class in secondary school.

"It's a further breakdown of figures that they are just not releasing," she believes.

Meanwhile, she said some parents in the SNAP group are "unsure" where their child is going to school this September, while some have a place that is "not suitable".

"People need to realise, it's not just about availability - it's about suitability."

They will also raise the need for more options for children who are in special schools who are nearing the end of their journey in second-level education.