The Taoiseach has apologised to the Milne family, who featured in last night's Prime Time programme, saying the State has failed to provide their children with the education which is appropriate to their needs.
The programme featured the struggle of Gillian and Darren Milne who have been left without appropriate education for their twin sons Ryan and Kyle who have severe autism.
"The State has failed the Milne family", Micheál Martin said in the Dáil.
Identical twins Ryan and Kyle were born in 2011. Diagnosed with autism when they were two-and-a-half years old, the boys, now 11, are non-verbal and have a range of other special needs - including ADHD and a severe learning disability.
Gillian and Darren Milne are now pleading for the State to intervene and provide places for the twins in a special school.
Darren Milne has had to give up his job to help look after the twins. The family have become tenants in their own home. And the couple's mental health has suffered immensely.
Speaking in the Dáil, in reply to Labour leader Ivana Bacik, the Taoiseach said: "I watched that programme. It's not good enough."
Mr Martin said he had spoken with Minister of State Josepha Madigan as well as the Assistant Secretary at the Department of Education, adding all were "possessed" with the need that "this does not happen again".
He said 25% of the Department of Education's budget is spent on special education - over €2 billion - and he contended the problem is an issue of "matching resources to needs".
Labour leader @ivanabacik raises the issue of parents struggling to get school places for children with autism, mentioning a family featured on @RTE_PrimeTime
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 18, 2022
Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD says 'I watched that programme. It's not good enough. The State has failed the Milne family.' pic.twitter.com/hXvgHU5159
The Taoiseach said two things needed to be done: expanding capacity within existing special schools; and creating new schools.
He added that "stronger legislation" was also required as it "no longer can it be an option that schools don't take-in a student with special needs". He pointed to the School Admission Act as needing revision.
The Labour leader praised the programme for highlighting the failure of the State to provide for families with children with autism, but added that more clarity was required on what the Government intends to do because she had not observed any real change.
She said she was "sure" his apology will be welcomed by those "so badly failed by the State" but she continued that "clearly" there is a demand on the Government to take more proactive steps.
Deputy Bacik said it was not just a question of special schools, but also the needs with it - such as the provision of Special Needs Assistance.
In reply, the Taoiseach said that the Government "was proactive", adding that there were now 19,000 SNAs in Irish schools.
He said the State should be seeking a place for the children with complex needs, rather than the onus falling on the parents.
The Taoiseach rejected a charge that he had blamed schools for the problems experienced by the Milne family.
But Mr Martin added: "It's not a question of resources and resources will be provided."
The issue in many respects is expanding the existing special schools and creating new schools, he said.
He was responding to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who said that in his response to an earlier question from Ms Bacik, it seemed that the Taoiseach had blamed schools for what had happened to the Milne family, when resourcing is a critical issue.
