Two classrooms for 12 autistic children attending the Lucan Educate Together School, a multi-denominational school in west Dublin, have been closed following a dispute between the board of management and the State over the funding of specialist services for the children, the High Court was told yesterday.
The State provided two pre-fabricated classrooms and supplied teachers and classroom assistants. The dispute concerns the provision of language, speech and occupational therapists.
The court was told the South Western Area Health Board did not have the therapeutic staff available but was providing £2,000 a term for the employment of a therapist working 11/2 days each week.
Ms Siobhan Arnold, the mother of an autistic boy attending the school, claimed afterwards that the parents already had found therapists willing to work a 20-hour week with the children but would require funding of £60,000.
The parents are challenging the failure of the authorities to provide the children in the school with language, speech and occupational therapy teachers on an almost full-time basis. Mr Justice Kearns yesterday adjourned the hearing to January 24th. He said he was going to proceed cautiously and carefully on the basis of submissions fully argued before him demonstrating he had the proper jurisdiction to make any order.
Mr John O'Donnell SC, for the Minister for Health and Children, said no issue had been raised by the parents with regard to the provision of appropriate accommodation, teaching staff and classroom assistants.
The Department had believed there had also been agreement on the provision of funding for occupational, speech and language therapists but when the school opened, the board of management decided those provisions were not enough and had closed the school down.