'Let them in!'- Scores gather in city for protest
Pictured at John Roberts Square at the weekend protesting for children who are locked out of appropriate education. Photo: Joe Evans
Hundreds of people gathered at the heart of Waterford City in protest against the ongoing failure of the State to provide adequate education for children with additional needs.
The protest was held on Saturday afternoon, April 5, and comes after weeks and months of campaigning and awareness-raising by parents in Waterford and beyond.
At the demonstration, parents spoke about the struggles they are facing to secure appropriate educational supports.
Dad Conor Coady told the attendees: "What we're going to talk about today some of you may find shocking. Shocking doesn't even come close to an accurate description."
He spoke about his five-year-old son Harry, who is meant to be attending school this September but has yet to be accepted.
"My wife and I applied to every school that we deemed appropriate for him, a school that will meet his needs and allow him to participate in his community, but he has been rejected from every single one of them."
He said: "Our teachers are not trained to provide an appropriate education to every child in this country. Our schools do not have the space to provide an appropriate education to every child in this country."
Earlier in the week, Waterford parents travelled to the Dáil to protest over the lack of school spaces for their children.
