Heartfelt plea made by Limerick principal over seven-year wait for autism facilities

​A COUNTY Limerick school principal has issued a heartfelt appeal to the Department of Education for the immediate release of critical funding “promised seven years ago for a dedicated facility for children with autism and a school extension”.  

St Mary’s National School in Croom received an initial commitment when opening the first autism class in February 2018, said Emmett Murphy, principal. Staff worked with an appointed design team that has “met every requirement since from the department”. 

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He says the school community is profoundly disappointed that the project remains stalled, still in stage 1 and awaiting final approval. Mr Murphy said it is severely impacting the school’s ability to provide essential resources to its most vulnerable pupils as they approach the end of 2025.

​The initial pledge was for a significant investment to construct and equip specialised classrooms and sensory rooms. This facility is crucial for providing a safe, supportive, and tailored educational environment that meets the specific needs of children with autism in the local community.

“Seven years is too long to wait for a promise that directly affects the education and well-being of our children. We have done everything asked of us: we’ve submitted plans, attended countless meetings, and adjusted our proposals repeatedly with our Board of Management and design team. 

“Every year that passes is another year our children with autism are educated in suboptimal conditions. 

“The need is immediate, and the delay is having a tangible, negative impact on their learning and development,” said Mr Murphy.

​Currently, the school is doing its best to accommodate these students, often “utilising existing, inadequate spaces that were not designed for the purpose”. 

“The dedicated autism extension is not just a building project. It is an investment in inclusive education and a statement that every child deserves to reach their full potential.”

Canon Willie Fitzmaurice, chairperson of the school's Board of Management, said: “This is a failure of process and a let-down to our community. The commitment was made, the need is greater than ever, and yet we are caught in bureaucratic limbo.” 

Canon Fitzmaurice urged the Department of Education to cut through the red tape and grant final approval for this vital project today. “Our pupils cannot afford to wait any longer,” he said.

Sue O’Brien, a parent, spoke of the initial excitement among parents at the news of the investment which has turned into “deep frustration after a wait of seven years”. “It’s been incredibly difficult for many of the neurodivergent kids. They rely on a structured environment and sensory breaks to regulate. When they get overwhelmed, a dedicated, properly equipped space is essential to help them to re-engage, instead teachers and SNAs must use the hallway and other spaces, which only adds to the distress. 

“For the teaching staff, it’s a huge burden. They’re doing an amazing job with minimal resources but they’re constantly improvising. Many students will now have gone through a complete cycle of primary school waiting for these new special class facilities,” said Ms O’Brien.

​The school community is calling on local representatives and Minister of Education Helen McEntee to intervene and ensure this seven-year-old promise is “finally honoured, allowing construction to begin immediately so the facility can be operational by September 2027”.

When contacted for comment, a Department of Education spokesperson said that St Mary’s National School, Croom was approved to enter the department’s pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. 

“The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery and is currently at Stage 1 architectural design. There has been significant engagement with the school authority, and the department recently received additional information requested in relation to the project. 

“This is currently under review and the outcome of this review will be communicated to the school authority shortly,” said the spokesperson.

They added that since 2020, the department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. 

“The recent allocation of funding under the National Development Plan will allow the department to plan its capital investment programme for the 2026 to 2030 period in line with prioritised needs and reflecting, as appropriate, wider government priorities,” said the department spokesperson.