Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2025-10-15
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Liam Quaide (SD), Cork East

Yet another young person has been suspended in Carrigaline Community Special School in the past week. There has been an alarming pattern of suspensions there since 2022. Parents have also spoken of a pattern of de facto suspensions where they are repeatedly called to pick up their child early from school for behaviours that are intrinsic to their disabilities. The Taoiseach is very familiar with the school in his constituency. Beyond the need for more therapies in the school, there is a clear school culture driving this spate of de facto suspensions, as well as the huge turnover of staff. The Taoiseach has said this is not the way to deal with behaviours related to autism and intellectual disability. These cultural issues in the school are having a huge impact on children and their parents, some of whom I met two weeks ago, along with my colleague Deputy Rice. When is the Department of education going to address the cultural issues in Carrigaline Community Special School that are clearly at odds with the rights of the children? All the resources in the world are not going to remedy the situation until that is addressed.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-10-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:13+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-10-15