The Department of Education have plunged into ‘crisis’ the most vulnerable people in Laois, with the news of a class reduction being demanded of St Francis Special School, Portlaoise.
So says principal John Moran following correspondence he received from the Department recently.
St Francis currently operates 19 classes in a 12-classroom school, but they have been informed that the Department want that number reduced by three.
That is according to the school’s principal, Mr John Moran, who spoke this morning with LaoisToday.
“This will not affect children that are already in the school, but it will have implications for new admissions,” Mr Moran said.
“As things stand, we are not in a position to enroll anybody new for September 2025.”
The government have come in for serious criticism from parents surrounding the crisis, with one local mother saying:
“My son is more than a statistic and the shower up in Dublin better believe it. I am seething here.
“Enough is enough. My son is not a second class citizen.”
The Department of Education granted St Francis an extension of four additional classrooms for the school as far back as Arpril, 2022, but that process is still in the planning stage.
Mr Moran says the school applied for two temporary classrooms, which are required for eight students, while they wait for the four permanent classrooms to be built.
However, referencing a letter he received from the Department of Education in response to this request, Mr Moran said:
“The two temporary classrooms have been refused by the Department on the grounds that we are to come back to 16 (classes).
“There’s two things that we’d need to be in a position to enroll new pupils for next year, or to replace our leavers: we’d need a review of the refusal of the two temporary classrooms; and we’d need to fast track the new building.”
Photo: Alf Harvey.
Mr Moran said the Department’s demand that St Francis reduce their classes from 19 to 16 is based on 2021 Census figures, which he said are now completely obsolete.
“The population in and around Portlaoise has increased hugely since 2021 and using those figures as a benchmark is completely unrealistic,” he said.
“Instead of giving us more room, the Department want us to reduce three classes. We currently have a waiting list of 45 so it doesn’t add up at all.”
Aontú’s Laois Candidate in the General Election, Mary Hand, a teacher in Heywood CS, has called for answers from Norma Foley TD, Minister for Education, and Hildegarde Naughton TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion.
“This is an incredibly serious matter,” Ms Hand said.
“Schools throughout County Laois are oversubscribed as it is with lengthy waiting lists so any reduction in funding would be hugely problematic.
“We want immediate clarification from the Ministers involved as the stress and worry this uncertainly is causing parents and teachers is dreadful.”
Minister Foley of Fianna Fáil, who was on hand to officially open St Francis Special School in 2022, was accused of of “absolutely failing” special needs children when parents marched on Dáil Éireann in August to demand her Department intervenes in the ongoing crisis.
Minister Hildegarde Naughton of Fine Gael, meanwhile, in an article written for the Irish Independent, said: “As minister with responsibility for special education and inclusion, my top priority is to ensure that children with special educational needs are provided with a school place.”
This flies in the face of what is happening at St Francis Special School, with Principal Moran reiterating:
“We always want to help out as much as possible, but we are in crisis point at the moment and we certainly need assistance.
“Parents are entitled to a school place for their children.”
LaoisToday has contacted the Department of Education for a response.
