Cork TD Thomas Gould calls for additional funding to deliver ASD classes for Ballincollig national school

Deputy Gould raised the lack of special classes in Scoil Eoin Ballincollig and the failure by the Department of Education to fund the school's plan to deliver more special classes.

Deputy Gould said the Ballincollig primary school have been trying to secure special classes for children with autism since 2013. "The principal, the staff and the board of management have done all they can to work with the Department of Education to secure funding to provide these classes, but they have been blocked at every opportunity,” he said.

Deputy Gould said the lack of ASD classes in Scoil Eoin is forcing pupils to travel all over Cork City and Cork County to get a ‘decent’ education. “The lack of ASD classes in Ballincollig means that children are being forced to travel all over the city and county to areas like Kinsale, Bandon and Ballinhassig and more, just to get a decent education.

"The school community want to know that the Minister for Education will take the issue seriously, confirm a date on which she will meet with the school and crucially, if the required funding to deliver ASD classes at Scoil Eoin will be provided,” he added.

Joe Lynch, who is a Sinn Féin local election candidate for Cork City South West said that the entire community is behind the school's campaign to deliver the required ASD classes. “I know well the great work that Scoil Eoin does and the entire village is behind the school's campaign to secure ASD classes. The school requires €4.5 million to knock and rebuild a section of the school to deliver the required classrooms. Given the space limitations, a knock and rebuild is the only viable solution.”

“This same section of the school requires €800,000 to repair subsistence issues, which has been sanctioned,” said Mr Lynch. “The Department has also cleared €300,000 to replace an old prefab. This is €1.1 million that would be better spent as part of a rebuild rather than putting sticking plasters on a building that needs to be replaced.

“Children growing up in Ballincollig should be able to attend local schools no matter their additional educational requirements. The Department need to step up and deliver,” he added.