Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh: Stop MGLD Redesignations Now
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh addressed the Dáil on the urgent failures in Ireland's special education system, calling out the government for redesignating MGLD schools and leaving families without appropriate places. She cited the SNA crisis, closure of early intervention classes and Europe’s largest class sizes as proof that the system is breaking down.
Key points: Ní Raghallaigh set out Sinn Féin’s demand that redesignations of Miles General Learning Disability (MGLD) schools must stop immediately. She framed the motion as a concrete step to protect children with additional needs and criticised successive government decisions for letting families down.
Personal stories: The speech quoted testimony from Grace, who says her MGLD school transformed her life, and recounted conversations with Linda, who spends seven hours a day driving her children to school, and Rachel, whose daughter Zoe has been homeschooled because no appropriate place was available. These accounts illustrate the human cost of policy failures in special education.
Consequences and demand: Ní Raghallaigh warned that redesignations done "by stealth" risk denying future children the tailored support they need. She urged Ministers to support Sinn Féin’s motion to halt redesignations and address the wider issues in the special education system, from SNA shortages to the closure of early intervention classes.
Key points: Ní Raghallaigh set out Sinn Féin’s demand that redesignations of Miles General Learning Disability (MGLD) schools must stop immediately. She framed the motion as a concrete step to protect children with additional needs and criticised successive government decisions for letting families down.
Personal stories: The speech quoted testimony from Grace, who says her MGLD school transformed her life, and recounted conversations with Linda, who spends seven hours a day driving her children to school, and Rachel, whose daughter Zoe has been homeschooled because no appropriate place was available. These accounts illustrate the human cost of policy failures in special education.
Consequences and demand: Ní Raghallaigh warned that redesignations done "by stealth" risk denying future children the tailored support they need. She urged Ministers to support Sinn Féin’s motion to halt redesignations and address the wider issues in the special education system, from SNA shortages to the closure of early intervention classes.
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Transcript
This is not the first time we've brought forward proposals on special education this Dáil term, nor is it the second, nor the third. This is Sinn Féin's fourth PMB on special education. Despite our best efforts, every time we've brought forward solutions, you and your government have consistently let families and their children down. The issues are only getting worse. The recent SNA crisis, the closure of early intervention classes and having the largest class sizes in Europe show that this government is failing our children. Minister, tonight in the public gallery a young woman named Grace and her father is up here, her father who has tirelessly advocated on her behalf and has lived experience of our special education system. She sent me a letter where she explains how her Miles General Learning Disability School has done so much for her educational and personal development. Grace wrote, and I really want you to hear this. Everything changed when I started at this school. I was finally given the space to learn at my own pace. This support has allowed me to thrive. I feel safe, happy and positive about my future. I have a great circle of friends and I feel welcome every day. However, I am worried that if you redesignate our school, other children who are just like me will not receive the opportunities I have. I am proof that this school works. Please protect our school's designation so that the children coming after me can also find their confidence. And Ministers, I agree with Grace. It is shameful that MGLD schools are being redesignated by stealth. The state can protect children like Grace tonight by supporting our motion which calls for these redesignations to stop immediately. Over the weekend I spoke with Linda in Kildare who told me she couldn't get an appropriate school place for her child. She spends seven hours of her day in her car just to get her children to school and home again. And Linda's children are considered the lucky ones because they actually have a school place. Meanwhile there's children doing additional years in preschool because they have no school place. And then there's children who the government has completely abandoned and have no choice but to remain at home, like Zoe. Her mammy Rachel wrote to me and told me her story. Zoe was in an inappropriate school place that did not meet her needs. She should be in first class now but has been homeschooled by Rachel for the last few years and she's told me that she's joined every possible waiting list and just cannot get a place for Zoe. So Ministers, I'd like to know does Zoe not deserve to be in school learning and playing with her peers? This is just another example of how children with additional needs are being treated as less than. Again and again this government is failing to deliver.