(Ireland) Govt accused of failing SPED; should treat 'crisis like it’s a house on fire'
- Oct 8, 2025
- 1 min read
Oct 7, 2025, Irish Sun: ‘They need to treat special ed crisis like it’s house on fire’ mum warns as Budget 2026 cuts one-off family cash boosts
THE Government has been accused of failing kids in Budget 2026 as one mum blasts: “They need to treat the special education crisis like it’s a house on fire.”
Despite promises it would back families, the Government has failed to increase child benefit, did nothing to lower creche fees and did not even reference the 5,000 children living in homelessness during today’s €117billion Budget spending announcement.
Children with additional needs were particularly let down by the Budget with families claiming that increases in funding for services is just a “drop in the ocean”.
Adrienne Doyle Whelan has three kids — Max, eight, Jessica, three, and Teddy, who is aged five-and-a-half and who’s autistic.
The Dublin mother was left devastated this year as she desperately searched for an appropriate school place for Teddy.
Adrienne finally found a place for him, but the school has not been built yet.
Reacting to Budget 2026, she said the Government did not do enough to make a real change in providing services for Irish children with additional needs.
She said: “They need to treat the special education crisis like it’s a house on fire.
“I don’t think they’ve done a lot different. They haven’t allocated a lot more compared to last year.
“It’s very similar to the Budget they had last year for special education — it doesn’t sound to me like they’ve prioritised it.
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