Pringle: Government has no understanding of the experience of families with children with disabilities

By Thomas Pringle
Updated: 18th June 2024

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, said the Government has no understanding of the experience of families with children with disabilities, as he called for more school-based summer provision and other measures.

Addressing the Dáil on Tuesday, Deputy Pringle said: “I support this motion, and its calls for the government to reverse the funding cut made to the summer provision capitation payments and to ensure more school-based summer provision is made available in the future.

“It is shocking that the capitation payment has been cut from €45 to just €30 a week. This is a massive reduction at any time, but during a cost-of-living crisis this reduction will have a devastating impact on families.

“It will add to the many unfair burdens put on families, including the fact that families aren’t guaranteed summer provision in the first place, relying on what seems like some sort of lottery system, despite the fact that every Disabled Persons’ Organisation has emphasised how important summer provision is,” he said.

The deputy was speaking in support of the Sinn Féin Motion re Special Education, though he said: “I would argue it needs to go further.”

Deputy Pringle said: “I am calling for an immediate ratification of the Optional Protocol and implementation of the EPSEN act in full, without further delay. There needs to be a meaningful and purpose-driven consultation with relevant NGOs and leaders in the area to ensure amendments are understood and enacted as well.”

He said: “A huge issue that is faced by families with children with disabilities is that there is no understanding whatsoever on the part of the Government of the experience of these families. Government policies therefore do not reflect the reality of the lives of the families and the hurdles that they face every day. Meaningful engagement is crucial.

“It is disgraceful that parents of children with disabilities are forced to stress at around this time every year about their child securing an appropriate school place in September. I have had many constituents come to me about this issue and it feels like an annual issue and year after year the government doesn’t seem to be engaging with them at all.

“We absolutely must ensure that all children are accessing school. Every child has a right to an education,” he said.

The deputy said: “There needs to be a move to full integration, not segregation. Children should be allowed to and able to attend schools in their own community and have their educational needs met there. Yes, that means more staff, more SNAs, more space and more resources, but that is their right and our government has the responsibility to facilitate that.

“Furthermore, we need to look at this holistically. The Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme must be available to all children at preschool level and extended into afterschool and camps,” he said.

Deputy Pringle said: “We claim to be a country that offers equal opportunity to all but this simply isn’t the case. Inequality is rife in every sector of our society. Access to education from early years to adulthood is key in enabling people to participate in society.

“Yet according to Social Justice Ireland, one in four children with an intellectual disability or developmental disability have been put on a short school day, which has a detrimental impact on children with additional needs, their education and their families.

“And according to Inclusion Ireland, 45% of children with support needs are being failed by the education system, as they face multiple barriers to access their right to school. This is utterly shameful and a breach of a child’s right to education.

“Not all children are treated equally in this country, and it is time for policymakers to open their ears and eyes to the lived reality of these children and their families, because it seems that the government is totally detached from reality at the moment,” he said.