Mar 14, 2025, Breaking News: Six-year-old autistic boy is a 'forever pre-schooler'
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/six-year-old-autistic-boy-is-a-forever-pre-schooler-1740518.html
A six-year-old autistic boy who was finally promised a place at a national school has had to return to pre-school because of what his parents say is an apparent delay in providing a modular classroom to hold 12 extra pupils.
Germaine and Alan Colgan were relieved and elated when their son Daniel was enrolled at Danu Special Community School in Dublin's Blanchardstown, after spending two years searching for an available place.
However, the six-year-old who is pre-verbal and has autism with additional needs, had to return to pre-school due to what they believe is an apparent delay in the provision of the modular classroom.
"Last September, I was anxiously waiting for that phone call which never came, to tell me that a place had been found," said Germaine.
"Before the election, the government promised that every child would have an appropriate school place. This now just seems like another empty promise to families with children with additional needs that we are sick of hearing.
"If you don't send a child to school, Tusla would usually be knocking down the door demanding to know why they are not at school, but it's okay to stay at home or be without an adequate school place if they have a disability.
"Alan and I were overjoyed when Daniel was offered a place at Danu and enrolled last year.
It was explained to us that they could offer 12 more places at the school as they were told by the Department of Education that a modular classroom would be put in place and we believed this would be within a few months.
"We went to a parent meeting with the school last week so excited in thinking that we were going to get a start date. We thought all our birthdays had come together. Instead we were told that nothing is happening. Not a shovel has been put into the ground. . . .
"I am devastated. Daniel will be seven in May and he needs to be in a proper school place.
Instead, we had to put him back in an autism specific pre-school which was so good to take him for what I thought would be temporary.
"He is a forever pre-schooler at the moment.
"I just feel these places were given to the school as a pre-election ploy to shut us up. Why is it that modular homes can be built in no time for other reasons, but not for our children and if there is no funding, where is the nine million euro coming from for these school pouches? . . .
"Every year it is the same story. Special needs families have to take to the streets to protest that there aren't enough adequate places for their children. There needs to be a proper plan put in place because we are not going away. We will continue to fight for all our children's rights"
According to the DDLETB (Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board) : ""As Patron of Danu Community Special School, DDLETB is pleased to support the expansion of special education provision, increasing the school's capacity to 48 students.
"The Department of Education has appointed a project manager for the delivery of a new large two-story modular under the Department's Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme.
"The project is currently in the pre-construction phase. This is a priority project for the Department of Education and DDLETB.
"The NCSE is actively engaging with parents to extend current school placements, while the Patron and school staff are preparing to welcome the new students.
"DDLETB remains committed to delivering high-quality, inclusive education while ensuring that every child receives the support they need to thrive both academically and socially."
In a statement, the Department of Education said plans for a permanent purpose-built educational facility for children with special educational needs in the Blanchardstown area is at an early stage of developed design and until the project is at a stage where statutory approvals are secured, it is difficult to provide timings or phases for construction and delivery.
"For the immediate need, the school was approved for the provision of a new large two-storey modular under the Department's Devolved Educational Needs (SEN) Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme and the project is currently in delivery. . . .
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