TAOISEACH Micheal Martin has promised to “do everything we can” to get a special school place for little Jay Meehan.
His vow comes after The Irish Sun’s article on the youngster’s battle was raised in the Dail.
Today we told the story of Jay from Dungarvan, Co Waterford who is autistic and is trying to get a place in St John’s Special School.
Places at the special school are so sought after that they recently held a lottery draw overseen by a local garda to determine which children on the waiting list got a place.
Principal Aoife O’Neill said that the shortage of places in special schools and classes is a national issue and many other schools run similar lottery systems due to the volume of demand.
But Jay’s mum Rebecca told The Irish Sun: “It’s like playing the EuroMillions with my child’s education.”
Jay’s story was raised in the Dail twice today with both Sinn Fein and the Social Democrats demanding action to increase the number of special school places before September.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “The idea that any child is forced into a lottery for the chance of getting a school place is unthinkable and yet it is happening. A child’s future is down to the luck of the draw. The child whose number doesn’t come up gets left behind.
“Parents are frustrated, exhausted and heartbroken as they receive rejection letter after rejection letter.”
Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide said that St John’s is not to blame as they have been put in an “invidious situation” from under investment in special schools by successive governments.
He said: “This is the kind of dystopian ritual that schools are being forced to undertake due to chronic under resourcing of special education.”
Taoiseach Micheal Martin told the Dail that the number of special school places has doubled in the past five years to over 3,000 with five more schools due to open in the next year.
He added: “That’s no consolation for Jay and the family involved there. We will do everything we possibly can to get a place for that child for September.”
The Fianna Fail leader said that officials from the Department of Education were visiting St John’s Special School this week to examine proposals to extend the school.
Tonight Rebecca told The Irish Sun: “In reaction to the Taoiseach’s comments I’d like to thank him for his response.
“But the oversight of forward planning for demand in the Waterford area is not something my son is going to pay for by forfeiting even a day of his education. This needs to be remediated urgently.”
Justice Adeniyi Familo