Paresnts in Laois ‘suffering extreme stress and worry’ due to lack of special educational places
The Government have been urged to grant permission for the installation of two modular classrooms for a special needs school in Laois.
Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley raised the matter in the Dáil recently, citing the lack of places available at St Francis School, Portlaoise.
“There are over 30 Laois children who need a place in St Francis Special School Portlaoise, but have none,” Deputy Stanley said.
“The right of every child to access an education system is a fundamental one and the children in Laois are no different from those anywhere else in the country.”
The school has 119 children with complex needs attending from across Laois, with 17 classes spread across 12 classrooms.
St Francis has 12 children graduatig in June, but there are 45 children already assessed as being in need of attending the school, leaving a shortfall of 33 places.
“If a child is not accessing school at that crucial point in their development they are missing out on education and therapy, especially if the child has special needs,” Deputy Stanley said.
“The parents are at their wits’ end . They are suffering extreme stress and worry from being told their child cannot be accommodated.
“There must be proper co-ordination with the National Council for Special Education, otherwise the fragmentation and inefficiency in the system will cause problems.”
Portlaoise Primary Care Centre moves a step closer
Some long-awaited progress has been made on the provision of the proposed Portlaoise Primary Care Centre.
The HSE has confirmed that an architectural design team has been engaged, stage 1 preliminary design has been approved, and the project is now being moved on to detailed design stage 2.
The centre is to be located on the ground of St Fintan’s Campus Portlaoise.
The HSE say they anticipate lodging a planning application with Laois County Council by the end of June this year.
Deputy Brian Stanley welcomed the news, saying: “Portlaoise is one of the few towns of it size in the country without a Primary Care Centre.
“GP facilities in the town and surrounding areas are stretched to the limit due to the absence of such a Primary Care Centre.
“People find themselves going to the Emergency Department in the General Hospital for a range of services that should be provided by Primary Care within the community.”
Baling Assistance Payments commence for tillage farmers
Payments totalling €1.9 million have commenced issuing to farmers across Ireland under the Baling Assistance Payment (BAP).
BAP was introduced in the summer of 2024 as a once off measure to support tillage farmers to produce straw for bedding and for fodder during a particularly difficult period of weather.
It allowed farmers who were in the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) to withdraw and enter BAP to “maximised the availability of fodder and bedding nationally”
Laois Fine Gael TD Willie Aird has reminded local farmers affected to provide the required supporting documentation to the Department to allow final payments to be made.
Farmers wishing to contact the department regarding their payment can call the Direct Payments Helpline on 057-8674422 or email tillage@agriculture.gov.ie.
Nursing home scheme now open with up to €25,000 available
The Nursing Home Residential Premises Upgrade (RPU) Scheme is now opened for applications, with up to €25,000 has been made available to each qualifying nursing home for structural works to improve compliance with various regulations.
The scheme aims to support private and voluntary nursing homes to improve the nursing home premises to meet the needs of residents.
Nursing homes may claim for works carried out between January 1 and November 14 2025 and for works previously undertaken during 2024 that meet the scheme criteria.
Deputy Willie Aird acknowledged that carrying out works to meet compliance “can prove costly” and that the scheme “aims is to alleviate some of the financial pressures this may cause.”
Scheme details including application forms are available on the HSE and NTPF websites.
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