Well said.

Sentiment score: 0.27

In recent weeks, we have seen how important special education is as an issue, not just for the children and families affected but to the wider community that recognises if a child gets the right educational support in the right school at the right time, it can have a profound and life-long benefit. We know special education will take different forms. For many children an SNA in a classroom will allow them to participate and thrive in mainstream schools. We know for others there is need for units within mainstream schools. They have specific needs to be catered for. We know for a relatively small number of children that what is required is enrolment in a purpose-built special school that has the expertise, staffing and policies in place to support some of the most vulnerable children through their most formative years. For too long my county had not the option of that last avenue. We had no special school. There was one special school between Cavan and Monaghan, a good school by all accounts, but the numbers and travel distances meant that for many, it was not an option and the capacity of that school was limited. Thankfully, primarily due to a sustained, dignified and determined campaign by families and supporters of children with disabilities, the Government agreed, in advance of the most recent general election, to the delivery of an interim special school. That opened in September last year with 18 students finally given access to the education they need, 18 families whose lives have been changed for the better and an entire community that is so proud of all who brought it to that point. The crucial term used on delivery of that school was "interim." The building in which the special school is housed was previously a secondary school, which the school moved out of. It is limited in capacity for future development and expansion, and we know from experience all over the State that when you build a special school demand and capacity needs will increase. Therefore, I have been calling on Government since September to start the planning to deliver a permanent special school. That is what is required. We know the school is already at capacity, after being in place for only one term. We know future accommodation is required to facilitate even the needs there now. We know there are proposals for modular extension at the interim special school but what is needed is a bit of forethought. We need a greenfield site to deliver a permanent special school that will have the capacity for future expansion. The current site is perfect for the kids there now insofar as they have the special education they need. It will allow for some expansion but will not allow for the type of expansion we know is needed in the future. I hope the Minister of State will outline a vision to say we will deliver a special school on a site with the capacity to deal with future demands.

Sentiment score: 0.34

I want to be clear that whatever modules or extensions are needed in the short term to increase capacity at the current location should happen without delay. The Minister of State mentioned that the Minister visited the school and, of course, she was very welcome. I was in the vicinity when the parents of the children who attend had a discussion with her. They had one ask, which was to make sure there is a permanent school that has capacity for future demand. The truth is that successive Governments have been far too slow in delivering special education. The Minister of State's answer alludes to this. What has been done is that Governments have been responding rather than planning. I am asking that in respect of the special school in Monaghan, let us plan. Let us not make the same mistakes as have been made in countless other areas, where interim schools have been put in place with extensions and prefabricated building on prefabricated building to deal with demand at any given time, rather than recognising there is a need to plan for the long term. Demand for this school will only increase. The needs in terms of capacity will increase. Do not wait until the current site is completely exhausted before starting the entire process of finding and identifying a site and going through the whole process, which, as we know in this instance, can take years. We need a sea change. We have seen it with the SNA debacle. We have seen it with secondary schools fighting, as recently as this week, for additional special needs classes, even though the demand was apparent years ago because the children were coming through the primary sector. We know in this instance that the demand for the special school will only increase. What is required is a bit of forethought. I ask the Minister of State to ensure the NCSE does not only deal with the urgency of the immediate, which is important, but also deals with the prospects for the future.

Sentiment score: 0.20