Call for clarity on reopening of special needs classes

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Confusion still surrounds the return to school of children with additional needs this week.

The Department of Education had announced they would restart on Thursday following agreement with stakeholders, a claim disputed by staff union Forsa.

Disability groups say the uncertainty about the resumption of classes is “cruel and detrimental”.

Local Family Carers Ireland manager Richie Molloy says clarity is badly needed.

“There seems to have been no agreement from the teachers unions that this was going to go ahead on Thursday. Now our understanding is that there’s another meeting in the morning between the Department and the groups and maybe there’ll be more clarity given then.”

“But it’s very difficult for parents of special needs children to be trying to cope with all of this mixed messaging because they don’t know what to tell their own children.”