Louth TD raises Dundalk autism unit issue in Dáil

The issue of the second autism unit at the De La Salle College in Dundalk was highlighted again in Leinster House last week by Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú.

The Dundalk deputy had previously raised the fact the secondary school had last year offered places for September 2024 to five boys but withdrew the offers in March saying they were not able to accommodate them.

During a debate about progressing special education provision, Deputy Ó Murchú said the “only good news is a letter from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).” He said: “The NCSE told me it is aware of offers having been made and rescinded and that it is following up with the school and the Department of Education with a view to a positive resolution.

“We are in a four-way conversation at the moment including, the NCSE, the Department, the school and me. I hope it will lead to a positive conclusion.

“I have always thought there is an element of failure when you have to go to an elected representative about these issues, but I hope we have a small win in that matter for the parents and children. If the Minister of State can do anything to speed up the process, I would be more than happy.”

Deputy Ó Murchú also raised specific issues regarding Special Education Teaching (SET) hours at primary schools in Louth.

He said: “It goes without saying that we need to look again at the issue of SET hours.

“I was contacted by Scoil Dairbhre, Scoil Mhuire na nGael and Scoil Naomh Lorcan in Omeath, whose principal wrote to me:

'I am very frustrated that our SET allocation has been cut yet again. Our weekly allocation has been cut from 47.5 hours in 2021/22 to 45 in 2022/23 and has been cut further to 40 hours in 2024/25.

'These cuts are putting an immense strain on our school’s teaching staff and consequently we will be unable to provide the level of SET teaching needed to support a greatly increased number of pupils with the greatest level of need.'

The TD said this was “not in any way good enough” and while there is an appeals process, he was very worried that it may “not take into account complex needs and those with other additional resources they are getting at the moment that might not fall into that bracket but could end up in a bracket on the basis of not getting supports.

“Like everyone else, I have received a huge amount of correspondence from parents and grandparents with kids with autism, Down's syndrome and others who require these services.” Deputy Ó Murchú added that “we need to get a hell of a lot better at all of this.”