Local Independent Deputy Denis Naughten has called for immediate action from Government to address the crisis situation where 11 local children have left primary schools with no provision made for their secondary education in September.
“Despite Minister Josepha Madigan assuring me four weeks ago that these local children would have access to an autism-specific class, their parents have yet to receive any details of where they will be going to school.
“Where parents have been told that the school place is up to 100 kilometres away, they have been provided with no details of how their child is to get to school and who is going to pay the astronomical fuel bill these families are now facing.
“The lack of secondary school places for children with autism in Athlone and South Roscommon will force 11 students to travel up to 150,000 km over the next school year because of the failure to provide autism classes in schools any nearer than Glenamaddy in County Galway.
“These children should be entitled to an education in their own town along with their schoolmates and their brothers and sisters and I don’t think it is too much to ask,” Deputy Naughten concluded.
