(Ireland) "Schools are in crisis, 'children are left without school places'"

April 11, 2025, Louth Live: Equality in Education public meeting to take place in Louth

All Abilities Action Alliance holding public meeting in Dundalk

All Abilities Action Alliance Louth (4AL), an advocacy and support group seeking to empower people of all abilities, as well as their caregivers and families, to fully participate in the life of the community, is holding an Equality in Education public meeting on Thursday 24th April, from 6-8pm at the Redeemer Family Resource Centre in Dundalk.

The meeting will be chaired by Dundalk PBP rep James Renaghan with a panel including Paul Murphy TD; Niamh Maher, Solicitor in Childcare & Family Law; and Eimear McNally, All Abilities Action Alliance Louth. Seeking as many parents as possible to attend the meeting, the group says that if parents want to bring their children, let them know by emailing info.4alouth@gmail.com and they can organise SNAs to be present for care.

All Abilities Action Alliance Louth said in a statement that "we are holding this public meeting to bring together parents, teachers, SNAs and all those affected by the crisis in Special Education. Campaigning is the way we will win the change our kids need and deserve".

It said that all across the country children with additional needs are being left without the supports that are essential to their development, and that the waiting lists for Assessment of Needs and the Children's Disability Network Teams "are endless with children waiting years for essential supports".

It added that schools are in crisis, "children are left without school places, there are shortages of SE Teachers, SNAs and Special Classes. Government have failed our children and our school communities. Ahead of September and many local schools have insufficient supports available for children. This is not good enough".