Tipperary mothers claim that discrimination against their children is 'soul-destroying'

A protest match has been organised for Clonmel’s town centre this Saturday to highlight what the organisers claim is the government’s failure to provide adequate services for children with disabilities and additional needs.

The protest is being organised by Sabrina Kelly and Stephanie McAndrew, who are both mothers of two children with special needs.

“We’re just tired of this. Nobody seems to be listening to us and we need to get our voices heard,” says Sabrina Kelly.

“Enough is enough. Why should our children be treated differently? It’s soul-destroying and it amounts to discrimination,” she said.

Sabrina’s younger son, 5-year-old Josh, who suffers from ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is due to start school in a special needs school next September but there is no place available for him, although she stresses that this isn’t the fault of the schools.

When he turned 16 in March, her older son Ryan, who is also on the autism spectrum, lost his Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), while Sabrina had to surrender her carer’s benefit.

She says that because he has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old, it doesn’t make sense that Ryan now has to apply for an adult disability allowance.

“He doesn’t have the mental capacity of an adult and we’re being neglected,” she says.

“I had to give up my job as a nurse to become a full-time carer for my two children. I loved my job but I feel I cannot even care for my own two boys now, and that’s not a nice feeling.

“I feel I’m letting my two boys down”.

She says that the CDNT (Children’s Disability Network Team), set up by the HSE to look after children with special needs, is struggling to provide services in the areas of psychology, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.

“The schools for children with special needs are also struggling because of a lack of resources. Their hands are also tied because of a lack of support from the government”.

She says that spokespeople for the government appear on television and say they’re “doing this and they’re doing that but nothing is happening”.

Sabrina Kelly says that school staffing levels are based on a government policy from 1993, when the same level of needs in the area of disability didn’t exist.

The government claims that schools are adequately staffed according to that policy, but they fail to point out that the policy is now over 30 years old and needs to be changed, she added.

She says that the Special Education Needs Officers, whose task is to support parents, are also overwhelmed and can’t function properly because of a lack of government investment.

“The government can spend €1 million a month on transport and accommodation for pets belonging to Ukrainian refugees, and now they’re planning to build 82 modular homes in Clonmel for Ukrainian refugees. But they need to provide services for children with disabilities,” she says.

There’s only a certain amount that parents can do and the TDs and the government needs to help, she says.

Sabrina Kelly and Stephanie McAndrew have sought a meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris but have yet to receive a reply to their request, and feel they’re being ignored.

Sabrina says that in south Tipperary there are 630 families whose children with special needs are in need of the necessary services.

“We’re staging the protest to raise awareness,” she says.

Saturday’s protest will gather at the Main Guard at 12pm and march down Sarsfield Street and along the Quay and Joyce’s Lane before turning onto O’Connell Street and returning to the Main Guard.

All are welcome to attend and show their support.