Lack of spaces for students with autism in Cork

The chronic lack of spaces for students with autism in ASD special classes attached to mainstream post-primary schools in the Cork area was raised in the Dáil by Cork North Central Sinn Fein Deputy Jonathan O’Brien.

At present, he said there are five mainstream post-primary schools that provide special classes. Nagle community college has two classes catering for 12 students; Deerpark has six classes catering for 36 students, which will be reduced this year to four classes catering for only 24 students; North Monastery on the north side has three classes catering for 18 students; St. Vincent's has three classes catering for 18 students; and Ursuline secondary school has one class catering for six students.

“Unfortunately, as the Minister is aware, a place in each of these special classes only becomes available when an existing student graduates,” he said. “This is inadequate to meet the current demand for available places. For example, Nagle community college's ASD programme steering committee will very shortly meet to decide upon their enrolment next year. It can only pick four students because only four of its students will graduate. Only four places will become available, yet it has a list of 15 students - 12 boys and three girls. This means 11 students who were in special classrooms at primary level will not be able to avail of that at post-primary level.”

In 2016, he said there will only be four places in special classrooms and ASD classrooms in the whole of Cork city offered to boys with special needs. In 2017 - we know these figures - there will be no places available. In 2018, there will only be one place available.

In response, Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said that as regards the requirement for post-primary school places for children with autism, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) will engage with schools for the 2016-17 school year to plan for and to open new special classes to ensure there are sufficient placements available to meet demand in an area.

“The NCSE also will allocate staffing resources to special schools to provide for the number of pupils enrolling for that year, while taking into account the disability categorisation of those pupils and in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0042/2011,” she said. “Details of all of the special classes for children with special educational needs that are attached to mainstream schools are published each year on the NCSE website. I acknowledge there is a tight timeframe in respect of the forthcoming school year and that the Deputy is specifically raising the issue of post-primary provision in the Cork area.”