A special needs school in North Cork may not be open in time to offer children school places in September.

No work has started yet on upgrading the derelict building in Carrignavar for pupils with additional needs.

Many of the windows are still smashed, despite the Department of Education promising to open it, according to the Irish Examiner.

Cork North Central TD Ken O'Flynn said parents are very worried their children will have no place.

“I can't see it being delivered, the dogs in the streets know that it won't be delivered,”he said.

“So, what I'm telling you is that it probably won't be delivered by this September - if it is going to be delivered at all, it'll be probably next September.

“But the reality is that there is a number of parents with special needs children that don't have places in Cork.

“There's a an urgency around this in general.”

Deputy O'Flynn said parents are very stressed.

"I have parents coming to me from all over the City and the County with deep concerns and reservations about this," he said.

"If you go out to the site, you'll see that no work has been done, nothing at all, not a shovel has been taken to the ground."

School bags hanging on the fence as a protest over a lack of school places for autistic children at the Department of Education on Marlborough Street in Dublin. Photo: Justin Farrelly./© RollingNews.ie. 01/03/ 2025.