Once the family went public, the situation appeared to shift.
For most of this year, the Gray family in Milltown had been running in circles.
Every school they applied to for their son Harry’s post-primary ASD place either told them they were full or added him to a long waiting list.
Other schools offered no place at all.
Despite two psychological reports stating he needed an ASD class, the family were stuck between schools saying “talk to the SENO” and SENOs sending them back to the schools.
The NCSE portal was closed, phone lines were ringing out, and answers provided little clarity.
By last week, Harry’s father David was ringing seven different NCSE numbers a day.
He told Kfm News he was ready to drive to West Cork to try to meet Junior Minister Michael Moynihan face-to-face because nothing else was working.
Once the family went public, the situation appeared to shift.
The interview aired via Kildare Today and Kfm News.
The following day, Sinn Féin TD Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh raised the family's case in the Dáil, referencing reporting by Kfm News.
That afternoon, Minister Moynihan called the family directly, asked for Harry’s details and promised to follow up.
From there, things moved quickly.
Engagement from officials increased, and earlier this week, the Grays finally got the call they’d been waiting for: Harry had been offered an ASD class place in Newbridge.
The acceptance letter went in yesterday.
Speaking to Kfm News this morning, Mr Gray said the family is still trying to take it in - “surreal” was the word he used.
They’re now planning a trip to Lapland.
But Mr Gray stressed that dozens of families are still stuck where they were only days ago.
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