A new report from Down Syndrome Ireland has found there is a severe lack of suitable special classes in primary and post primary level for children with Down syndrome who do not have a dual diagnosis of autism.
The report, drawn from National Council for Special Education data, shows there will be 2,876 special classes at primary level and 1,217 at post‑primary for the 2026-2027 school year, with autism classes accounting for more than four out of five of them.
Down Syndrome Ireland has called for a more balanced and needs-led approach to the establishment of special classes to ensure that children with Down syndrome, and other students with general learning disabilities, have equitable access to appropriate educational settings.
Head of Education at Down Syndrome Ireland Dr Fidelma Brady said the organisation is contacted almost daily by parents struggling to find a special class placement for their child.
She explained that services are available to children with autism or those on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and that children with Down syndrome are now seeking out a dual diagnosis to access an autism unit or class in order to be able to attend school.
Parents report discrimination regarding special schools and classes, and being placed on waiting lists or being refused, she said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said: "They won't get the most ideal opportunity to have the best possible education experience they could have, that will eventually prepare them for life."
She said that the organisation is calling for a national plan for special class provision, an expansion of the disability classes and speech and language classes to reflect the needs of the population as a whole.
She said that at primary level, suitable special classes for children with Down syndrome account for 6% of what is available, while at secondary school level iit is 7%.
'Sad reality' of 'wanting an autism diagnosis'
Ursula Kelly, from Tuam Co Galway is the mother of 12-year-old Eleana, a 6th class student with Down syndrome and a moderate intellectual disability, who will progress to post primary school next September.
She said she felt she had no choice but to seek a private autism assessment for Eleana, as special classes at her local secondary school were not available for children with general learning disabilities.
She told the same programme: "Elena spent some of her years in mainstream education, was then assessed and was found to have moderate intellectual disability.
"Her needs as she's transitioning from primary school to secondary school have become more apparent and the gap that's there.
"So we looked at the schools in her town and there was four ASD units as in first year and then her chance to transition into one of those units was not possible unless she had a dual diagnosis and that's autism and Down syndrome.
"And I think as part of the process, when you go to 6th class, you're evaluated and the child went into an appointment with me and the problem was there is, and the heartbreaking piece for me was that I wanted an autism diagnosis for Elena coming out of that appointment because that gave me choices and that gave Elena then the right or the choice to go to the secondary school where her sister goes to school currently.
"That's the sad reality we're facing, there was so little options. Other than that, it meant if we didn't get that diagnosis, it meant Elena would be spending an hour and a half on a bus into Galway city and an hour, an hour and a half coming out of Galway city.
"I think we need to highlight this. I think we need to put extreme pressure on the Government that those children with Down syndrome are being forgotten about.
"And it's not about ticking boxes anymore. We need radical reform of our education system in order to meet all children's needs with special needs.
"I'm sure there'll be parents with children with autism waiting on places in special needs units saying, my God, this is not right.
"And it's not right, but there comes a point where you can't fight the system any longer. All you can do is fight for your own child.
"I would argue, and thousands like me would argue, the system's broken, completely broken."
