Call on Government to address parents' concerns around impact of refugee crisis

THE independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan has said that there is mounting concern among parents and within schools following confirmation from the Minister for Education that schools could be asked to accommodate more than 40,000 new students in the education system.

Minister Foley made her remarks in the context of the need to integrate and provide education to Ukrainian children fleeing the brutal conflict in their homeland. Similar concerns have been expressed by the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), The Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) and the Teaching Union of Ireland (TUI).

Deputy Nolan also said that she recently had to submit a parliamentary question to Minister Norma Foley after a number of schools raised concerns with her about the lack of consultation between the Department of Education and school management on just how they were meant to provide additional services while already experiencing funding, capacity and staffing issues.

“During Leaders Questions in the Dáil in late March, I specifically called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to clarify if Government has conducted any assessment around the potential impact on adult and child disability respite services here following the commitment to provide services and disability specific accommodation to citizens fleeing war-torn Ukraine.” Deputy Nolan said.

“The Taoiseach could offer no clear commitments in that regard. My concern now is that there is a similar absence of such a robust assessment with respect to education. I have parents coming to me who are deeply worried about the impact that such numbers will have particularly in terms of accessing special needs education.

“Even if a fraction of the unfortunate children fleeing Ukraine have special needs they are going to need access to already highly stretched school services. I know for a fact that there are parents out there wondering if their son or daughter will be de-prioritised in order to make up the shortfall in places. This is a particularly anxious time for parents who have been struggling for so long to secure limited school places in dedicated special needs schools.

“In responding to one crisis government must ensure that it does not create another crisis.

“It must address parents' concerns that their special needs children will be looked after and not sent to the back of the waiting list because political promises were made without sufficient consideration of the unintentional impacts that might emerge,” concluded Deputy Nolan.