Conor D McGuinness: Government sleepwalking children into crisis
Conor D McGuinness warns the government is sleepwalking children, families and schools into a crisis in September due to failures to provide appropriate places and supports for children with additional needs. He cites parents and educators in Waterford who are being forced to fight for basic rights to education, therapy and safety.
Conor D McGuinness opens by accusing Ministers of failing to plan, invest or deliver for children with additional needs. He warns that decisions being made now will push children, families and schools into a crisis when the new school year begins.
McGuinness relays testimony from Waterford parents and staff: a mother whose non-verbal seven-year-old lacks speech and language therapy and who had to take the HSE and the department to the High Court to secure a school place; and an SNA who describes severe understaffing, emotional strain and no risk pay when staff are injured.
The speech highlights how classes are being re-designated without consultation, supports diluted, and access denied based on need. Educators are described as overstretched and underpaid, providing safety, learning and care without the necessary supports.
McGuinness frames the shortages as political choices, not inevitable failures, and says Sinn Féin and parents have warned of this for years. He demands these choices be reversed now to prevent a wider crisis in schools and services across the state.
Immediate warning
Conor D McGuinness opens by accusing Ministers of failing to plan, invest or deliver for children with additional needs. He warns that decisions being made now will push children, families and schools into a crisis when the new school year begins.
Personal stories from Waterford
McGuinness relays testimony from Waterford parents and staff: a mother whose non-verbal seven-year-old lacks speech and language therapy and who had to take the HSE and the department to the High Court to secure a school place; and an SNA who describes severe understaffing, emotional strain and no risk pay when staff are injured.
Pressure on educators and supports
The speech highlights how classes are being re-designated without consultation, supports diluted, and access denied based on need. Educators are described as overstretched and underpaid, providing safety, learning and care without the necessary supports.
Political responsibility and Sinn Féin's stance
McGuinness frames the shortages as political choices, not inevitable failures, and says Sinn Féin and parents have warned of this for years. He demands these choices be reversed now to prevent a wider crisis in schools and services across the state.
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Transcript
This government is sleepwalking children, families and schools into a crisis in September. You surely can see what's coming, yet for whatever reason you continue to fail children with additional needs. Across the state children are still waiting for appropriate school places. In Waterford I'm in touch with so many parents crippled with worry, deeply angry that they are being forced to fight, to fight Minister, to secure a basic right to education. Educators being forced to fight to protect their roles out on protest to be allowed to continue supporting children. In their own words let me tell just two stories from constituents in Waterford. Sabrina is a mam, she told me my youngest is seven and non-verbal, we have no speech and language therapy, we cannot get equipment because there is no senior therapist to sign it off. We even had to take the HSE and the department to the High Court just to get a school place. Katie in SNA said it's heartbreaking to see children still waiting for placements. We're severely understaffed and underpaid, the job is physically, emotionally and mentally demanding. There is no risk pay even when staff are injured. We support safety, learning, communication and care all at once without the support needed to do it properly. We in Sinn Féin and parents and educators across the state have been warning of this for years but you have failed to act. Classes are being re-designated without consultation, supports are being diluted, children are being denied access based on need. The government has failed to plan, failed to invest and failed to deliver. So it's not a political, it is a political choice and it's always been a political choice but you've always made the wrong one Ministers and it needs to be reversed now. you