Several hundred people have taken part in a protest march in Cork over the lack of sufficient school places for children with additional needs.
Organisers say, across Cork city and county, more than 30 children have been left without school places in September.
They have described the lack of school places as a crisis in special education.
"The inaction we've experienced is not only heartbreaking - it's unacceptable," organiser Nicole Hosford said.
"Our children deserve safe, inclusive, and appropriately-resourced educational environments."
The protest march aimed to urge the Department of Education to implement immediate measures to address the shortage of places.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee has pointed out that 218 additional special classes have been sanctioned by her department.
However, Ms Hosford said there are no opening or start dates for these classes, and families of children with additional needs have no choice but to protest.
"Their children, along with many others with special educational needs, continue to be either placed in inappropriate settings or left without a school placement entirely," she said.
Among those taking part in the protest march was Sheila Casey Jones, from Newmarket in north Co Cork.
Ms Casey Jones is the mother of two boys, Patrick (12) and Adam (nine).
Patrick was diagnosed with autism when he was two. He has a severe language delay and a mild learning disability.
"My hands are tied - they are forcing me to relocate."
He is in sixth class and Ms Casey Jones said he keeps asking her where he will be going to "big" school.
"I have no answer for him," she said.
She said she is also waiting for Adam to be assessed for autism.
Ms Casey Jones said she has applied for special school places for Patrick across Munster and in Galway.
She said she has even looked at school places for him as far away as Donegal.
She said that, so far, all she has is 29 letters of rejection.
Family considers moving house to get school place
She said she is now exploring the possibility of moving her family to Laois or Kilkenny, on the basis that she may get a place for Patrick in a special school there.
That would also mean she would have to forfeit Adam's place on the waiting list in Cork for his autism assessment.
"My hands are tied - they are forcing me to relocate," Ms Casey Jones said.
"I shouldn't have to do this for my kids."
Her case was raised with Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, in the Dáil earlier this week by the Social Democrats acting leader, Cian O'Callaghan.
Mr O'Callaghan said Ms Casey Jones and parents like her have been forced to become project managers to find special school places for their children.
Mr Martin accepted that the National Council for Special Education should have a proactive role in agreeing "proper placement" for children with additional needs.
"It is wrong that parents must be the proactive person in securing a place for their child.
"I believe the State should be doing that," Mr Martin said.
