South Louth: Togher School Parents Action Group to protest at minister's constituency office
The group say their campaign has escalated to secure additional support for children with identified needs
St Colmcille’s National School, Togher, Co. Louth, Parent Action Group have announced that they have decided to escalate their campaign to secure three additional Special Needs Assistants (SNA) posts for their school with a protest outside the Constituency Office of Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Ms. Josepha Madigan TD in Churchtown, Dublin 14, tomorrow 23 April 2022 at 12.00 noon.
The Action Group say they will be organising further protests, at the Constituency Offices of both the Minister for Education, Ms. Norma Foley TD, and Minister Madigan, in the coming weeks if there is no progress on this critical issue.
In a statement released today the group said:
"The decision to escalate was taken after further engagement with officials from the Department of Education failed to make any progress.
"The need for additional supports exists as there are 15 children, currently enrolled in the school, with only 1.83 SNA posts available to ensure they can fully integrate, enjoy and benefit from their mainstream education.
"Phase two of the campaign, which follows an initial protest outside the Dail, in addition to these protests at Constituency Offices, will also involve the following:
- strong social media campaign;
- further engagement with other public representatives;
- and consideration to be given, and legal advice to be obtained, regarding a possible Judicial Review of the Department’s decisions to date.
"The school has consistently sought, through the review/appeals procedures open to it, to secure up to three additional SNA posts.
"However, at every stage, the Department has rejected these requests without having observed, within each classroom, the support requirements of these children.
"The Parents Group believe bureaucracy, combined with a flawed policy, has left children without the supports necessary to ensure their optimum progression through their chosen national school.
Speaking on the issue the Action Group’s Chairperson, Emmet Finegan, said:
“The Department, led by this Minister, has constantly spoken of ensuring every child can benefit from mainstream education thus ensuring their inclusion within their peer groups. However, the reality is that when a school strives to deliver on this promise they are left without the essential resource of Special Needs Assistants.
"As parents we cannot, and will never, accept that our children are not given every opportunity to participate in their local mainstream school and enjoy the learning, whether that be educational, social or psychological, that intrinsically comes from inclusion and involvement.
"This campaign will continue until our children are treated as full and equal citizens of this country and the government delivers on its often repeated promises.”