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27 Apr
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said that the anger of parents set to march in protest against cuts to disabilities resources for children in specialist schools is "understandable", as he agreed that action needed to be taken while speaking in the Dail.
Parents in Cork, Dublin and Enniscorthy are taking to streets on Friday the sixth of May to demand government intervention in the "crisis" that has hit children's disabilities services.
This follows a public meeting in Cork hearing that 60 therapists have been cut from specialist school in the Rebel County since the government's progressing disability services scheme began.
Cork TD Mick Barry raised the concerns of parents in multiple counties with Micheal Martin in the Dail, saying that at the public meeting on disabilities resources parents told heartbreaking tales of "children who have had to wait and wait and wait for assessment of needs, of parents who were forced to pay, and pay big, for private assessments, and children who have been left behind because their parents couldn't afford to pay."
"Your Health Minister recently intervened in a row between Disabilities Minister Anne Rabbitte and the HSE on the issue of her right to meet directly with district managers of these services. The parents and children who will march on Friday week will care far far more about service delivery and results, rather than who is meeting who at senior level.
"What hope can you offer these parents today?" Deputy Barry asked the Taoiseach.
Micheal Martin said that he is of the view that the progressing disabilities scheme should not result in the "dilution of resources in specialist schools with respect to therapists."
He said that Minister Rabbitte is meeting with principles, and principles will be meeting with disabilities managers to try and restore the number of therapists working in specialist schools.
Mr. Martin also said that he intends to convene meetings with the HSE on the retention of therapists in specialist schools in Cork and beyond.
He recognised that the anger of parents who have felt the impact of these cuts is "understandable' and that the government needs to "stand back and reflect" on the way disabilities services are being provided.