George Lawlor urges urgent action on special education crisis
George Lawlor warned of a chronic shortage of special education places, highlighting long waits for assessments and failures in disability services. He called on the Minister to act urgently, saying families are exhausted and children are missing milestones and aging out without access.
In his speech Lawlor described a nationwide shortfall of special education places and resources. He gave the CH05 example — which includes Wexford, his own county, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary — where children were transferred to the new Children's Disability Network in 2021 but 700 children and their families had yet to receive any contact from their CD&T.
Lawlor said assessment and service waits are severe, warning that someone who gets an assessment now may not be seen by services until mid-2028. He cited the Office of the Children's Ombudsman in September 2024, which stated that 126 children with a special needs place requirement were without a place.
He emphasised the human cost: children missing developmental milestones, parents and carers drained, exhausted and disillusioned, and some children aging out at 18 without access to required services. He described families as trying to navigate more than one system and as suffering the effects of multiple failed systems.
Lawlor welcomed Budget 2025 funding for 400 special classrooms but said there was no confidence that the funding would deliver the promised places in reality. He stressed that the current level of investment and staffing — including a lack of trained professionals — is inadequate to meet demand.
He urged the Minister to move urgently, saying it is the chamber's duty to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Lawlor framed the issue as a fundamental human rights concern and insisted that the State must provide the places and support that these children and their families require now.
Scale of the problem
In his speech Lawlor described a nationwide shortfall of special education places and resources. He gave the CH05 example — which includes Wexford, his own county, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary — where children were transferred to the new Children's Disability Network in 2021 but 700 children and their families had yet to receive any contact from their CD&T.
Waiting times and official figures
Lawlor said assessment and service waits are severe, warning that someone who gets an assessment now may not be seen by services until mid-2028. He cited the Office of the Children's Ombudsman in September 2024, which stated that 126 children with a special needs place requirement were without a place.
Impact on families and children
He emphasised the human cost: children missing developmental milestones, parents and carers drained, exhausted and disillusioned, and some children aging out at 18 without access to required services. He described families as trying to navigate more than one system and as suffering the effects of multiple failed systems.
Budget response and doubts
Lawlor welcomed Budget 2025 funding for 400 special classrooms but said there was no confidence that the funding would deliver the promised places in reality. He stressed that the current level of investment and staffing — including a lack of trained professionals — is inadequate to meet demand.
Appeal to the Minister and parliamentary duty
He urged the Minister to move urgently, saying it is the chamber's duty to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Lawlor framed the issue as a fundamental human rights concern and insisted that the State must provide the places and support that these children and their families require now.
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Transcript
I too would like to join in wishing both Ministers well in their new portfolios. Ministers, we have a chronic situation with regard to special education in Ireland. The lack of places means more and more missed milestones after missed milestones. And this is a fundamental human rights issue that has affected and is affecting countless children and their families. These children are plagued by insufficient resources, insufficient investment and a huge lack of trained professionals. The children's carers, their parents, are trying to navigate more than one system. They are drained, exhausted and disillusioned. The families of these children in special education are dealing with more than one failed system. Let me give you an example of the CH05 area, which includes Wexford, my own county, Waterford, Carlow Kilkenny and South Tipperary, where the children and their families were dealing with the early intervention teams. They were then transferred to the new Children's Disability Network in 2021 with all the bells and whistles and promises that came with the establishment of those teams. But four years later, an unbelievable number of 700 children and their families had yet to receive any contact whatsoever from their CD&T. Then they enter a school system that doesn't have the places of the resources. Indeed, some of these children have aged out, have got to the age of 18 and are not in a position to access any of the services that they required. It is our duty here in this chamber to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. I am told today that if you wait a couple of years to get an assessment of needs, that if you get the assessment of needs today, it will be mid-2028 by the time you are actually seen by the services. Indeed, the Office of the Children's Ombudsman in September last, 2024, stated that 126 children with a special needs place requirement were without a place. Budget 2025 provides funding for 400 special classrooms and that is to be welcome. But Ministers, as you can detect, there is no confidence in reality that this will happen. We absolutely owe it to these children to do everything in our power to provide them with the futures that they require now. Because it is now that they require the places. Their families require the places. Their carers require the places. The exhaustion that these families are suffering is palpable. And it is no longer acceptable that the children of this nation, who we are supposed to be cherishing, as per our proclamation, the children that we are to cherish, are suffering on a daily basis as a result of the inaction and lack of investment in this area. I urge you, Minister, to move on this as urgently as possible. Thank you, Minister.