Thomas Gould: 'It's a sin' - Kids Still Without School Places
Thomas Gould recounts a constituent boy who turned six but has been without a school place for a year, and warns that hundreds of children across the country face the same fate. He confronts the government and names Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael as responsible, calling the denial of education both a moral and legal failure.
Thomas Gould describes a six-year-old in his constituency who had no guests at his birthday because he has been without a school place for a year. Gould says he contacted the NCSE about the child last August and that families still do not know whether their children will have school places in August.
Gould stresses that this is not an isolated case: hundreds of children are forced to watch their friends go to school while they remain at home. He highlights the strain on parents, describing mothers as warriors who search the streets and stand outside Leinster House trying to secure places for their children.
Gould holds Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael accountable, calling the situation illegal and the government responsible for years of failure. He invokes the 1916 proclamation, arguing that every child has a right to education and should be treated equally regardless of additional needs or disability.
Gould emphasises that he has raised this issue in parliament for six years and will continue to press ministers whose speeches do not match the experience of families on the ground. The address frames the lack of school places as both a moral injustice and a legal breach that demands government action now.
Case in a constituency
Thomas Gould describes a six-year-old in his constituency who had no guests at his birthday because he has been without a school place for a year. Gould says he contacted the NCSE about the child last August and that families still do not know whether their children will have school places in August.
Wider scale and daily impact
Gould stresses that this is not an isolated case: hundreds of children are forced to watch their friends go to school while they remain at home. He highlights the strain on parents, describing mothers as warriors who search the streets and stand outside Leinster House trying to secure places for their children.
Political responsibility and rights
Gould holds Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael accountable, calling the situation illegal and the government responsible for years of failure. He invokes the 1916 proclamation, arguing that every child has a right to education and should be treated equally regardless of additional needs or disability.
Consequences and persistence
Gould emphasises that he has raised this issue in parliament for six years and will continue to press ministers whose speeches do not match the experience of families on the ground. The address frames the lack of school places as both a moral injustice and a legal breach that demands government action now.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Alice-Mary Higgins
Alice-Mary Higgins: Calls for Ireland to Lead on AI Weapons Law
Rose Conway-Walsh
Rose Conway-Walsh: 'Reckless Not to Prepare' for United Ireland
Martin Daly
Martin Daly: Planet Youth data reveals early risks for youth
Sharon Keogan
Sharon Keogan: Escort Ireland Defies Law, Calls for Debate
Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett: Levies, Education Cash and Housing Cuts
Pearse Doherty
Pearse Doherty: Cut Fuel Prices at the Pump Now
Transcript
In the 13th of this month, a boy in my constituency turned six. While other boys and girls his age organised parties, there was no one to come to his party, only for his family. He's been without a school place for a year. I contacted the NCSE about him last August and still he has no school place. It's nearly May and they still don't know whether he will have a school place in August. He's not alone. There are hundreds of other children like him. Every single year, children, boys and girls, are being forced to watch their friends, their family, their neighbours go down the road in their school uniform with their school bag on their back while they're left at home. It's a sin. It's a sin on these poor children to be left at home without a school place. But not alone is it a sin, it's illegal. It's illegal what this government, what Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been doing to these children for years because this didn't happen today or yesterday. For six years I've come in here, every year fighting for children. I see mothers who have to be like warriors, outside the doors of Leinster House, walk the streets of Cork and Dublin and every town and village looking for a place for their child. How can that be right? Every child has a right to an education. It's in this 1916 proclamation that all the children of the nation will be treated equally. It doesn't say but accept if you have additional needs, accept if you have a disability, accept if you're autistic. Every child should be treated the same. I come in here every year and I listen to ministers, the ministers' speeches here, outlining all they're doing. I tell you what you're doing, those children have no school places and it's your responsibility.