DARRAGH O'BRIEN TD
  • HOME
  • About Darragh
  • News
  • Parliamentary Questions
    • Housing, Planning & Local Government PQ's
    • School PQs
    • Foreign Affairs PQS
    • Oral Questions
  • Newsletters
  • Videos
  • PHOTOS
  • FIANNA FAIL
  • CONTACT
  • DATA Protection Statement

News

Children left behind due to failure to deliver SNA support for 2nd free preschool year – O’Brien

5/10/2016

 
                        ​-       Children with special needs refused support -
Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Fingal, Darragh O’Brien has described the refusal of Special Needs Assistant support for children with disabilities to enter into a 2nd ECCE preschool year as a denial of their right to a quality education.

Speaking on the issue, O’Brien said, “The Government made an announcement and a promise to deliver a second pre-school year but then sat back doing little to see it happen. I have consistently raised this issue and that the State does not have the capacity for this expansion.


“As we approached the beginning of the new school year, I was gravely concerned to learn that many students with complex needs had been denied the support of an SNA for a second year.

"These are students who would have previously received an SNA up to the maximum 15 hours per week for the first preschool year. The funding was deemed formally unavailable for their second year on the premise that it can only be awarded for 1 year.

“The support of an SNA is crucial in order to facilitate attendance and an appropriate experience of learning. The reality is that these students in my constituency and nationwide have been excluded from a 2nd ECCE preschool year as they require critical supports for their needs. Many families have been left vulnerable and unprotected. 

“The department must clarify why a policy was adopted to seemingly allow all Irish children access to a second pre-school year free, yet a child with special or particular needs in pre-school is not entitled to an SNA. That would render their first year in pre-school a waste.

“Our party are committed to supporting those with disabilities, particularly children as early intervention is integral to the quality of their future. The denial of a formal learning experience for those with complex learning needs, like all other children, is appalling and wholly unacceptable. 


“I have submitted further questions to the Minister to seek further explanation on such a denial and I intend on raising it in the Dáil at the next available opportunity,” added O’Brien.

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    NEWS

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015

Darragh O'Brien TD


Address

Darragh O'Brien TD
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2

Telephone

T:  01-6183802

Email

For all constituency related queries please don’t hesitate to contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01-6183802
Postal Address: Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

For all Department of Climate, Environment and Energy related queries please don't hesitate to contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01-6782000
Postal Address: Tom Johnson House, Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 K7X4.
Website: www.gov.ie/decc/

For  all Department of Transport related queries please don't hesitate to contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01-6041062
Postal Address: Department of Transport, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2, D02 TR60.
Website:
www.gov.ie/transport/
 




  • HOME
  • About Darragh
  • News
  • Parliamentary Questions
    • Housing, Planning & Local Government PQ's
    • School PQs
    • Foreign Affairs PQS
    • Oral Questions
  • Newsletters
  • Videos
  • PHOTOS
  • FIANNA FAIL
  • CONTACT
  • DATA Protection Statement