Wexford parents urge ministers to reconsider review of special school system – ‘This will have a far-reaching, devastating effect on students’
Parents of Our Lady of Fatima pupils have voiced concerns over changes to the provision of special education from September.
For parents, families and the children who go there Our Lady of Fatima Special School in Wexford town has become something of a safe haven. One of 30 schools in Ireland which caters for children with mild general learning disabilities (MGLD) it attracts pupils from all over Co Wexford and beyond, with some travelling from as far as Wicklow to attend.
Currently there are 117 children on its roll, 117 children who avail of the specialised care and attention they receive from the school’s teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs), and extended staff. However, the future of those children, and the children who hope to attend the school in the future, was thrown into jeopardy in May of this year when a letter, issued by the Department of Education, outlined its proposed changes for special education provision for the academic year 2026/27 and beyond.
Published The Irish Independent, 16th July 2025