Brian Stanley: County Laois Faces Classroom Crisis
Brian Stanley addressed Ministers on the urgent shortage of classroom space and support for children with special educational needs in County Laois. He highlighted that 2,202 children aged 0-14 have special needs, welcomed new classes but said demand still far outstrips supply.
He criticised the response from Saplings and the Department of Justice, saying responsibility has been washed off despite St Francis having a roll number and teachers paid by the State. Stanley called for clarity and accountability from the relevant departments on their responsibilities for publicly funded special schools.
Stanley also raised the lack of published county-level figures on children with special educational needs and disabilities, arguing that annual publication would help plan classroom provision at primary and second level. He pressed the Ministers to broaden the government's definition of SNA duties and to carry out proper consultation so special needs assistants receive recognition for the full range of responsibilities they perform.
The address frames a demand for concrete action: retained classroom space, proper extensions, transparent data and a meaningful SNA consultation. Stanley asked Ministers to work with school communities to ensure provision matches the growing need for special education services in County Laois
Accountability and apparent departmental inaction
He criticised the response from Saplings and the Department of Justice, saying responsibility has been washed off despite St Francis having a roll number and teachers paid by the State. Stanley called for clarity and accountability from the relevant departments on their responsibilities for publicly funded special schools.
Transparency and support staff reform
Stanley also raised the lack of published county-level figures on children with special educational needs and disabilities, arguing that annual publication would help plan classroom provision at primary and second level. He pressed the Ministers to broaden the government's definition of SNA duties and to carry out proper consultation so special needs assistants receive recognition for the full range of responsibilities they perform.
What this means for families and schools
The address frames a demand for concrete action: retained classroom space, proper extensions, transparent data and a meaningful SNA consultation. Stanley asked Ministers to work with school communities to ensure provision matches the growing need for special education services in County Laois
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Transcript
Minister, I'm glad the two Ministers are here. The latest figures in County Leash for the number of children with special needs and disabilities is 2,202 between the ages of 0 and 14. And all of us, all of us have a responsibility to ensure that they get the best possible education. New classes have been announced for Leash and that's all well and good and I welcome that. But we also need the physical space in the schools. St Francis School, a special school in Port Leash, the demand continues to far outstrip the availability of classrooms. Saplings, your department has washed its hands of it and so has the Department of Justice. It's a private matter even though it's a public school. It has a roll number, teachers paid for by your department, but apparently your department has no role in it. But I'll come back to that on another day. Rady's Meadow in Dorough, they're getting two new ASD units and that's excellent, but they really need three and I'm urging that one of the prefabs that's in good condition that's there is left there. Mount Trott Boys' National School is in urgent need and I've raised this with you and with your department officials. It's in bad need of an extension to incorporate ASD classrooms in sensory rooms etc. The numbers waiting in Leash and in all counties, I cannot figure out for the life of me why they're not published every year so as we can see them at primary level and at second level. And this could be used to ascertain the level of need we have and the classroom space available. But this never happens and why not? Can I just venture into the SNAs for a minute. The government's definition was too narrow. You've accepted that that was too narrow and that's good. It's okay to accept that. But now you must work with SNAs to ensure that encompasses the full range of duties and responsibilities that SNAs take on. It's really important that the role of the SNA is fulfilled properly and I urge you to ensure that this consultation is done properly and give SNAs their proper place in our schools. Thank you.