By Sean Murphy
ONE of the county’s foremost campaigners for children with special needs has called for the authorities to make sure no-one is left behind as schools return.
Several outraged parents have complained publicly in recent years that their children missed out on a place at school due to a lack of special classes.
Tanya Roberts Browne, from Downings, is the national chairperson of the inclusive community program GAA For All that adapts Gaelic games for people with disabilities and diverse needs.
She told the Donegal News: “It really saddens me that so many families are still finding themselves without a school place for their child just weeks before the new school year begins.
“It seems to be an issue that comes around every year and despite all the attention it receives, we’re still hearing the same stories time and time again.
“It’s disappointing that access to education continues to be one of the biggest concerns for so many families.
“Every child deserves to know they have a place in school.
“No family should be left at the end of July wondering where their child will be in September.
“We need better forward planning, enough school places where they’re needed, and clearer communication with families so they’re not left in limbo every summer.
“Every child deserves the chance to start the school year with certainty and every parent deserves the peace of mind that their child has somewhere to learn, grow and belong.”
Tanya Roberts Browne and her son Oisin.
At the start of July, the families of children with special needs were advised to apply as soon as possible for school places that will not start for over a year in September 2027.
The advice followed the opening of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
Donegal Minister of State Charlie McConalogue urged families to exercise “forward planning”.
He said: “Parents seeking a special class or a special school place for the 20272028 school year [should] engage with the NCSE Parents Notify online portal.
“Parents and guardians must notify the NCSE through the online portal by September 1 and provide the required documentation by September 15, 2026.”
He added: “Forward planning is central to ensuring children and young people with additional needs can access their education in a setting that suits them.”
The portal and further guidance is available on the ncse.ie website.
Tanya said: “Thankfully, this isn’t something that affects my family now.
“Our own experience was around school transport for Oisin.
“He had a place but we had to fight to make sure he could actually get there.
“It was an incredibly stressful time for our whole family and really opened my eyes to the challenges many families face just trying to access education.
“No parent should have to battle for something so fundamental.
“Through my work with GAA for All, I’ve met countless families of children with disabilities and additional needs from every county in Ireland.
“While every family’s circumstances are different, the one thing they all have in common is that they’re constantly fighting for services that should already be there, whether that’s a school place, transport or the right supports in place.
“Parents have to spend too much time navigating systems instead of simply being parents.”
Tanya Roberts Browne and her son Oisín on a trip to Croke Park.
Tanya, who is press officer at Downings GAA Club, has a son Oisin with autism and cerebral palsy.
In 2024, Oisin was not given a school bus place so the HSE paid for taxis until the situation was sorted – but his loving mum Tanya highlighted the disparity between the situation affecting families with the Government’s controversial €336,000 spend on a bike shed for 36 bicycles at Leinster House.
She claimed the bike shelter cost would fund a school transport service and said at the time: “It’s not good enough.”
Tanya’s brother Eric Roberts is a former Special Needs Assistant, who left his SNA role at Mulroy College in Milford three years ago to become a TV presenter on Virgin Media.
He is now getting his down TV show called Crisis in the Classroom to investigate special needs education, whihc was reported in the Donegal News last Thursday.
Tanya said: “My brother Eric’s upcoming documentary explores the reality for families of children with additional needs and SNAs on the ground and it reinforces just how many barriers still exist.
“It’s encouraging that these conversations are happening more openly but it’s disappointing that access to education continues to be one of the biggest concerns for so many families.
“For me, inclusion starts with education, even before we talk about participation or opportunities.”