Parents have marched on the Department of Education demanding school places for their children with additional needs.

Parent groups from different parts of Dublin say it is "shameful" that their children still do not have school places and are calling for immediate action from the Government.

They plan to hold a national demonstration in the coming weeks if the Government fails to take action.

“It is shameful … where is Simon Harris? Why isn’t he here?”

Parents march on the Department of Education demanding school places for their children with additional needs.

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) August 23, 2024

Speaking at the protest this morning, Nicola O'Dea said her son Sean has autism and cannot understand why he still does not have a school place.

“It's so hard,” she said. “He's come on so much, he really has, like, he's talking.

“He's only toilet trained since he's 11; his speech is coming along amazing but he's going to regress if he doesn’t continue to get that support, that structure, that routine in school,” she said.

“As I said there is only so much a parent can do – he needs that social interaction and that structure of school.

“He is looking at his sister going back to school today, she is going into second year, his brother is going into fifth year and he’s looking at me and I don’t know what to say to him.”

"Really draining"

Nicola said she has had to give up her job to ensure Sean can get some education at home.

She said her family is living in Finglas and they have now applied to 15 different schools for Sean.

“It is so stressful, really draining and really worrying,” she said.

“Sean should be starting first year in secondary school this week and we have no place.”

"Heartbreaking"

She said Sean’s older brother also has autism and has had the benefit of a secondary school place – and she can’t understand why Sean cannot access the same supports.

“Words can’t explain the heartache, the stress, the tension,” she said.

“It is just heartbreaking.

“Everybody keeps talking about how upsetting it is but I am going to cry here.

“It is just such a worry; I really didn’t think I was going to be here in this position when school started.”

"Winning the lotto"

Meanwhile, Charlotte Cahill said she has applied to 32 schools up and down the country for her daughter Cyra, who has autism, epilepsy and pathological demand avoidance.

“I have been told that because her needs are so complex, I may just have to accept putting her into a school that doesn’t suit her needs,” she said.

“I was told to apply to all of the schools in my local area and surrounding areas because obviously with the lack of schools specific to Cyra’s needs, getting into an autism-specific school is like winning the lotto.”

The protesting parents today delivered a list of names of children who are currently without school places to the department.

They are calling for immediate Government action to ensure all Irish children have access to the education and supports they are entitled to.

They are warning that without decisive action, the situation will continue to deteriorate leaving more children behind and families without hope for the future.

Reporting from Andrew Lowth.