"It's Having A Detrimental Effect On Him": Newbridge Boy With Autism Still Without School Place

His mother has expressed desperation after being unable to secure a school place for her child

A Newbridge mother whose son has autism and a moderate intellectual disability has expressed her desperation after being unable to secure a school place for her child.

Edel Murray has applied to Saplings School in Kill, St. Raphael's in Celbridge, Craddockstown School, Ros Glas Community Special School in Monasterevin and St. Anne's Special School in the Curragh, all have been unsuccessful.

Last week, it was revealed that Ros Glas Community Special School was oversubscribed for the new school year.

Her son Jack completed primary school in June 2026 and is currently "at home without a suitable school placement".

In an email to the Education Department, Edel wrote: "this is incredibly distressing for our family. Jack needs specialist support, structure, social interaction, and the opportunity to develop life skills and independence. He deserves access to an education that meets his needs".

"Jack has a twin brother who has started his first year of secondary school this year. While we are proud of both our children, it is heartbreaking to see Jack remain at home while his brother moves forward."

Speaking on Kildare Today, she said it is having a "detrimental" effect on him:

"It's actually having a detrimental effect on Jack, he's not just a number, he's such a caring, funny little boy, his smile could light up the darkest room, but we are seeing increased meltdowns everyday. His sleep is nearly non-existent at this stage."

"He's totally dysregulated, we can do all the physical regulation and stimulation, but that isn't a match to the mental stimulation he gets from going to school, having that routine and from being outside the house and seeing his friends everyday."

Edel described being in "limbo-land", unsure of what the next step is for Jack, as she continues to fight for his education:

"We're in limbo-land, we don't know what's going to happen next, we're just lost to be honest, we're so frustrated that it had to come to this, we didn't want to go public with our story, we shouldn't have to.

"We're fighting for our child's fundamental right to education. Jack is like another child his age, he's just being failed and let down by the State, and we just feel so helpless because we see the effect it's having on him."

Kfm News has received the following statement from a spokesperson of the Department of Education and Youth:

"The Department of Education and Youth does not comment on individual cases. However, we recognise that for families who are still seeking an appropriate school placement for their child, this can be a challenging and uncertain time.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has advised that, subject to geographic considerations, there is sufficient specialist capacity to support children and young people seeking specialist placements for the 2026/27 school year. While admissions processes remain ongoing in some schools, the position continues to evolve, with schools making offers, families accepting places and additional places becoming available. Importantly, there are currently more special class places available than there is identified demand.

The NCSE continues to work directly with families across the country to support children and young people seeking special school and special class placements. Through its Parents Notify process, the NCSE has gathered detailed information on children requiring specialist placements and has used this information to inform planning and the sanctioning of additional provision where needed. As school admissions processes conclude and further placement offers issue, the NCSE remains actively engaged with both families and schools. We would encourage any family still seeking a placement to continue engaging with the NCSE, which is available to provide advice and support.

The Department of Education and Youth and the NCSE remain committed to delivering a high-quality, inclusive education system where every child and young person is supported to reach their full potential. Reflecting this commitment, funding for special education will reach €3 billion in 2026, representing the highest ever annual investment in this area and an increase of 58% compared with 2020.

The 2026/27 school year will also see the largest expansion of specialist educational provision in the history of the State. Through the combined efforts of the department and the NCSE, 587 new special classes have been sanctioned, including 70 inclusive special classes. In addition, more than 500 new special school places are being provided through the opening of four new special schools and the expansion of existing schools. Overall, more than 4,000 new specialist educational places are being delivered for the coming school year, ensuring increased capacity to meet the needs of children and young people requiring additional support."

The full interview with Edel Murray can be heard below: