The Dáil finally returns this week, and on Thursday People Before Profit will propose an important motion to call for immediate emergency action on disability and special needs provision. The motion will be debated in the Dáil on Thursday evening with a vote by TDs in the following week.

The Government has utterly failed people with disabilities and special education needs. Over 10,000 children are waiting for an Assessment of Need (AON) and 110,000 are awaiting essential therapies. Over 120 children were without a school place at the beginning of September this year, while many more are forced to do a third year in the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme or are in Autism Spectrum Disorder preschools. Only 1,028 out of 3,300 primary schools have autism classes, and only 410 out of 710 post-primary schools have autism classes.

It is completely unacceptable that disability and special education services have been allowed to reach this shocking state when the Government has billions in surplus tax revenues. Sheer frustration has driven parents and campaigners to launch campaigns for school places for all, with large meetings and marches taking place across Dublin in recent weeks. These groups have indicated that they will continue to escalate their protest actions until they are heard and meaningful solutions are offered.

People Before Profit supports the parents and campaigners and our motion calls for a series of important emergency actions and longer-term actions to address the crisis as speedily and as comprehensively as possible. The motion includes calls for; 

• implementation of emergency action to provide appropriate school places for all those who need them; 
• to ensure full staffing of children’s disability network teams and the CAMHS service;
• to ensure assessments of needs are carried out and recommended supports and therapies are provided within the legally required timeframes; 
• and for immediate ratification of the optional protocol of the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. 

These are just some of what is required, but much more is needed and children and parents will not wait any longer.