Richard O'Donoghue urges ministers to coordinate on special needs
Richard O'Donoghue warned that families of children with special needs are facing fragmented services and called on the minister to ensure the Department for Disabilities, the Department for Education and the Department for Health coordinate. He highlighted local fundraisers and community efforts as evidence of gaps in state provision and urged immediate action to deliver equal educational opportunities.
Call for departmental coordination
He described conversations at the ploughing where people of all ages raised concerns about services for special needs. He asked why the Department for Disabilities, the Department for Education and the Department for Health are not talking to each other and pressed the minister to make those departments work together to solve problems.
Families' experiences of assessments and placement shortages
He recounted reports that families are being shuffled between departments for assessments, only to be told afterward that there is no place available. He emphasised the need to deliver for the most vulnerable so children can have equal opportunities for education alongside their siblings and neighbours.
Local fundraising as evidence of resource gaps
He pointed to local fundraising for the Holy Family School in Charval and said community groups are stepping in to fill funding shortfalls. He mentioned a motorbike run and a Greybridge Classic Club event in County Limerick raising money for the same school, and noted the school is based behind St Joseph's Foundation.
Support for the minister and pledge to work collaboratively
He said he believes the minister is the right person for the job and expressed a willingness to work with the minister and push the boundaries within the relevant departments. He also urged support for families who are trying to homeschool and called for better coordinated resources to support those children and their carers.
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Minister, after spending two long days at the ploughing with the independent island, and we've had people coming in from all ages into the tent talking to us about concerns that they have from all walks of life and people with all different problems and looking for support. We have people with special needs coming to us and they're asking us, Richard, what's gone wrong? What can we do to help? Why are the resources not put in place? Why isn't the Department for Disabilities and the Department for Education and the Department for Health talking to each other to see how we can solve problems? He said, if you want something, you go to one department and they ask you then to go to another department to get assessments to try and get places for children. And if you do get the assessment done, they come on then and tell you, sorry, we have no place for you. Now, Minister, I do know, with your own family background, I do know, I believe you're the right Minister for the job. I really do. I do know you understand the concerns that are happening. But, Minister, knowing all this, I need you to kick for touch and make sure that the differences can be made, that these three departments talk to each other, that we deliver for people in Ireland to make sure that the most vulnerable have an equal opportunity to education as their siblings or their neighbours or their friends. This Sunday, Minister, and this is for yourself and I hope to see you there, there's a fundraiser for the Holy Family School in Charval. And you know that, being from that area yourself, there's a fundraiser going on for a school that looks after for special needs in Charval County Corp, in your constituency. They're based behind St Joseph's Foundation, which is another fantastic organisation that looks after children with special needs and adults with special needs. And they've got to go out and fundraise for additional resources. And they've come to me and there's a motorbike run on and I'm going to have to try and stay above on the motorbike to help them to raise money and raise awareness. And I have no problem doing that. Last Sunday, I was in Mianeth, in County Limerick, with Greybridge Classic Club, raising funds again for this same school in County Cork, because we have people from the area that want support. These are actually asking the people of Ireland through our vintage clubs, through our motorcycle clubs, through whatever needs they can do to fundraise for children with special needs to help them get an education the same as their siblings and friends. That to me, if they have got to go to that, which we've no problem in helping, there's a massive shortage of funding. And I said this at the staff minister, and I said with the answer, I do believe you're the right minister for the job. And I look forward to working with you. And I look forward to pushing the boundaries within your department and the education department and the health department to make sure that we can deliver for those children for equal opportunity, for equal education, and also support the families that have been trying to homeschool, give them their children the needs and help them with the support. Thank you.
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