Call for single law to support inclusive education for all school-age children
Consideration should be given to bringing all school-age children under a single piece of legislation to ensure a legal, rights-based approach to inclusive education, according to a new recommendation.
A review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act was announced in 2021 to ensure the legislation was up to date, fully operational, and “reflective of the lived experiences of students and families”.
A report on the review, which contained more than 28,000 survey responses, including 900 from children and young people, noted that while the 2004 Act “clearly” indicated the direction intended for special education into the future, it failed to explicitly define inclusion.
This lack of clarity has been a source of “much contention since 2004″, the report published on Wednesday reads.
Published in The Irish Times, 25th June 2025