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Tuesday's public meeting at Firhouse Educate Together National School. Rónán Duffy/TheJournal.ie

'I hope the candidates are listening': Anger in Firhouse as parents plead for more autism supports

Firhouse Educate Together National School held a public meeting with several politicians in attendance.

ABOUT 150 PARENTS and teachers vented their frustration at local politicians during a public meeting at a school in Firhouse in Dublin during which they pleaded for more autism supports.

Firhouse Educate Together National School was the venue for the mid-election campaign meeting which saw teachers say that children were being put in unsuitable environments because the required services are not available.

Parents of autistic children, as well as parents of neurotypical children, also spoke during the meeting. 

There are 288 children in the school, 77 of whom are in mainstream classes and require additional needs.

There are between two and eight children with complex additional needs in each class and there are seven special needs assistants (SNAs) in the entire school. 

Parents say that the lack of resources means that children can sometimes be put on shorter days or that classes can be disrupted when autistic children are in difficulty.

“At the moment an SNA might be shared between a couple of classrooms, so if you have a child who is very upset and in the middle of a meltdown in classroom number one, the SNA could be in classroom number two,” Niamh Neville told TheJournal.ie.

So you’ve the teacher then dealing with 20-something children, one that is having a meltdown, and five or six other children on the autistic spectrum who may be sensory, not able to cope with the noise and the sounds, or who may have ADHD and are full of energy can’t sit still. So really it’s after getting very chaotic in our classrooms.  

Neville is the mother of a boy in the school who has autism and she says there is an “acute shortage” of SNAs for the children who need them. 

This week’s public meeting also heard from the school’s principal Collette Dunne, acting deputy principal Heather O’Doherty and chairperson of the school board Francis Fullen.

Each said the number of special needs assistants (SNAs), or inclusion support assistants (ISAs) as they are also known, is inadequate for their needs. 

O’Doherty said that what is currently on offer is vastly short of what is required.  

“Children are being forced into environments that are not suitable to them, and are not helping them. The allocation that we can give them is not enough, the allocation in other schools is not enough,” she said. 

“We have children that we’ve had to put on shortened days in this school. That’s putting huge stress and pressure on our families and we are at the coal face of it.

We are looking at those parents who are pleading with us, what are they going to do with their child, they have to go to work.

“We have children in this school who are afraid to come to school, that their class is going to be evacuated again for the fourth time this week, because there’s a child in their class who can’t cope anymore,” O’Doherty added.  

20200128_211014 Pictures on the wall in the school hall. Rónán Duffy / TheJournal.ie Rónán Duffy / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie

Dáil deputies Colm Brophy (FG), Paul Murphy (Sol-PBP), John Lahart (FF) and Seán Crowe (SF) were among those present at the meeting and spoke individually to parents after the public meeting.

Election candidates Carly Bailey (Soc Dems) and Sandra Fay (Sol-PBP) did so too and also stood up to speak during the meeting.  

Bailey said that she has two children in the school, including one who has autism, and that the response to the “crisis” has been too slow.

“This is something that has been on the radar of politicians for years, I don’t accept that this is now something that they’ve learned about,” she said.

Every single day we are hearing from people in very similar situations, every single day TDs across the country are receiving calls or getting on visits to their clinics from parents who are in dire straights and they don’t know where to turn.

Another parent Des Kenny, who said he has two children with autism, also said that the response from government to the problem has been too slow.

“I hope the candidates for the next election are listening to the anger in the room. I hope that the outgoing government are also listening intently because there’s a real edge of anger in the room, some arrived late but I’m sure you’ll catch up,” Kenny said.

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    Mute The Viking
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    Jul 24th 2017, 4:31 PM

    The True Heart of the fighting Irish. Well done Orla. Keep up the fight.

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    Mute Gareth Miskelly
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    Jul 24th 2017, 4:44 PM

    @The Viking: i wish i could like this comment more than once! Couldnt agree more!

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Jul 24th 2017, 5:00 PM

    After all this lovely young woman has done for CF wouldn’t you think the bloody health minister would sanction money for her operation. Ffs. Does he have to be led by the nose all the time

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    Mute Jed I. Knight
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    Jul 24th 2017, 6:11 PM

    @Mary Murphy: I’m sure you mean well, but had you taken the time to read any of this inspiring young lady’s blogs, social media posts or her Gofundme page you’d know it isn’t quite that simple.
    As she’s currently so ill she can’t travel back to Ireland, but while her only chance at survival is a lung transplant her health insurance will cover the cost, presumably when a suitable donor becomes available, however that’s not the full story.
    Many of the costs are not covered by insurance, and the first year post transplant are crucial, this after care is crucial – and expensive. Hence the request for funding. If you can spare it, please consider donating. Thank you for your time.

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    Mute Niall O Neill
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    Jul 24th 2017, 7:12 PM

    @Jed I. Knight: l think Mary Murphy was simply pointing out that the Minister for Health might underwrite the cost of Orla’s care. And while it might be exceptional, and lead to “what about me” complaints, l for one would only applaud the intervention. But it won’t happen for political reasons. Maybe a Dermot Desmond, Denis O’Brien, Michael O’Leary or J. P. McManus might anonymously do the right thing. If they even noticed.

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Jul 24th 2017, 7:52 PM

    @Jed I. Knight: I actually meant for them to pay the US hospital who is looking after her. Orla is a lady who’s done so much for CF and as such deserves the most that can be done. How do you know I didn’t donate????

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    Mute Jed I. Knight
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    Jul 24th 2017, 8:47 PM

    @Mary Murphy: As I already said, covering the cost of her transplant in America, which is likely to be substantial, isn’t up for debate, she clearly said her health insurance will cover this, thankfully.
    And you’re right, I don’t know if you did or didn’t donate, nor would I ask, it’s a personal issue. I politely asked if you could spare it to consider it.

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    Mute Maire
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    Jul 25th 2017, 10:30 AM

    @Jed I. Knight: Do CF patients get Health Ins.? Of coarse they should, but do they?

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    Mute Maire
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    Jul 25th 2017, 10:32 AM

    @Maire: Sorry, yes I see she has, thank God!

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    Mute Frank Dubogovik
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    Jul 24th 2017, 8:40 PM

    Great stuff….well done …hope it’s a fantastic success….she certainly deserves it!!!

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    Mute Paul Radburn
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    Jul 24th 2017, 6:19 PM

    Some good news for a change, well done.

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    Mute Andi Black
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    Jul 24th 2017, 8:17 PM

    Orla, I hope and pray that you will get the treatment that you need and deserve. Your government has let you down. But there is…… ‘Joe Duffy’ and Liveline, he might be able to help. Kindest regards. Andi!

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    Mute Paul Moran
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    Jul 25th 2017, 3:21 PM

    Now that the fundraising target has been reached, is there need of further donations?
    I was always a great admirer of Orla’s having read her articles in the Irish times, heard her interviews on radio and seen her on the Late Late.
    She is one courageous lady and I wish her success in her forthcoming operation and full health in the years to come. Paul Moran

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