Friday 8th December 2006

The Keith Duffy Masquerade Ball 2006 was held in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in support of the IAA.

A great time was had by all, thanks to everyone who supported the event.
Click here to view the full report.

Early October 2006

St. Catherine’s and Barnacoyle Parents Submit Funding Application to the Dept of Education and HSE

In order to secure the future of the school St. Catherine’s and the Barnacoyle Parents Group have submitted an application for full funding and recognition of the ABA school to the Department of Education and Science and the Health Service Executive. A successful outcome to this application if vital if the excellent work being carried out by St. Catherine’s and their staff is to continue at Barnacoyle. We are seeking the same status and funding as the 12 other ABA schools located throughout the country.

1st September 2006

The Children Return to Barnacoyle ABA School
The first day of the new term has arrived and all the children are welcomed back to Barnacoyle by St. Catherine’s and the staff at the school. The parents of all the children will continue to seek funding and recognition for the school from the Department of Education and the Health Service Executive.

St Catherine’s Service has committed to provide a service to the six children who require continuance of their ABA education. The SENO/NCSE has refused to fund these six children in Barnacoyle and funding will have to be found through extensive fund raising by the Barnacoyle Parents group.

28th August 2006

Special Education Needs Organiser Suggests Potential Places for Children
The SENO has written to the parents of the proposed primary class pupils suggesting potential places for the children, but refuses to use the same funding to provide placements for the children in Barnacoyle. This correspondence arrives just days before the start of the new school term. The SENO and NCSE have given no consideration to the fact that one of the most common features of autism is a difficulty in adapting to change. The NSCE have taken no account of the damage that could be done to the children by uprooting them from the excellent facilities provided by the Barnacoyle team of St. Catherine's Services.

3rd August 2006

Children with No School to Return to on 1st September.
The parents of the six children for the proposed primary class are distraught following meetings with the local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). The SENO has advised parents that he has no alternative placements to offer the children anywhere in Co Wicklow. The parents have chosen ABA as the method of education for their children and there are no ABA educational facilities in Co. Wicklow other than St. Catherine’s.

The local SENO states that he is instructed to advise the parents of the six affected children that the Department of Education and Science may take legal action against parents who choose to continue their child’s enrolment in Barnacoyle into the school year 2006-2007. At a Board of Management meeting St. Catherine’s agreed to offer places for the 2006/2007 academic year to the children. The parents are relieved and extremely grateful to St. Catherine’s for there support.

27th July 2006

Parents Committee Member is advised by National Council for Special Education of withdrawal of funding for some pupils
A member of the parents committee is advised by telephone by the National Council for Special Education that the Department of Education has instructed that a primary class at Barnacoyle will not be sanctioned. This is a devastating blow as it is just five weeks to the start of the new school term.

30th June 2006

Representatives of the Barnacoyle Parents Group meets with Department of Education Officials in Athlone Four representatives of the Barnacoyle Parents Group travelled to Athlone to meet with officials of the Department of Education and Science. The group presented a detailed document outlines the reasons why the Barnacoyle School should be granted full funding and recognition as a ABA school in line with the 12 other schools throughout the country. The parents also outlined grave concerns regarding the sanction issued in March 2006 and the difficulties being encountered since the implementation of the restrictions contained in the sanction.

The Department representatives undertook to review our documentation and arrange another meeting. We are awaiting their response.

24th March 2006

The parents and their supporters come out in force to inform the Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, constituents the failure of her Department to recognise and fund for an education that will meet the needs of their children diagnosed with ASD i.e "Exclusive ABA". Also to highlight that her Department has recognised and funded for such an education for other children diagnosed with ASD in Ireland. Flyers are put through her constituents doors and are distributed outside busy shopping centres in various locations throughout her constituency. Parents get good feedback from the general public who are prepared to help parents fight for their childrens educational rights. The Ministers voters are happy to contact her on our behalf.

23rd March 2006

The Parents Committee meet to discuss the implications of the NCSEs sanction. Representatives from the Parents Committee meet with St Catherines to discuss the sanction and to be informed of the schools position going forward. A parents meeting is arranged for the following Tuesday evening.

22rd March 2006

National Council for Special Education and Department of Education and Science Sanction issued
Following our protest outside Dail Eireann the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO) and the Department of Education issued a letter sanctioning additional resources in respect of the school at Barnacoyle. A detailed review of the sanction revealed that it fell far short of what the parents and St. Catherine’s Service had sought. Barnacoyle Preschool had not been saved by the Ministers intervention, the Minister did not provide the resources to ensure the continuance of any of the children’s ABA education. The deficiencies of the sanction are outlined below.

• The sanctioning of resources is temporary until the end on the school year, i.e. 30th June, 2006. The additional children will hardly be enrolled in the school when the sanction expires.
• The Special Education Needs Orgainiser (SENO) has sanctioned the filling of the 5 vacancies which exist in the originally sanctioned classes.
• The SENO has approved the establishment of the third preschool class, only until June 30th 2006.
• Special Needs Assistants have been sanctioned for the provision of care needs only. This means that the SNA’s are prohibited from providing instruction to the children , instruction which they currently engage in. They will be responsible for such tasks as toileting, playground and lunchtime supervision etc. This means that children will experience a reduction in their 1:1 instrcution, moving from receiving 1:1 instruction to a ratio of 6:1 instruction.
• The model of education recommended by NEPS and the SENO is wholely inappropriate for our children.

22nd March 2006

Joanne Kelly, Parents Committee speaks with Teresa Griffin, Principle Officer, Special Education, DES. Joanne outlines the parents concerns regarding the sanction from the NCSE which is inline with departmental policy as it does not recognise the need for exclusive ABA model of education for each of the children diagnosed with ASD. Teresa Griffin states that the sanction is inline with the DES preferred approach of education for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She advises that the departmental policies were decided upon after detailed research was carried out. Joanne indicated to her that the policies are in no way adequate to meet the needs of the children and explained in detail to Teresa Griffin how exactly the sanction could not possibly meet the educational needs of the children. To sum it up the state has offered our children one teacher to six children and an Special Needs Assistant that could cater for their care needs. The maximum sanction was 23 hours and 20 minutes, so in effect if the teacher split her time equally between the six children in the class the maximum 1:1 each child could receive would be just under 4 hours per week. Joanne explained how inadequate the states policy is and Teresa Griffin reiterated that the policy was the DES preferred approach. Joanne requested was there anything the parents could do to change the DES policy and was advised to submit research to back up her argument. Joanne advised the life of a preschooler is very short and by the time the research was analyzed by the DES and even if the policies changed our children would have lost out significantly and as a result may never reach their potential. She also explained how the DES recognise the exclusive delivery of ABA to other children in Ireland in other ABA schools. Joanne was advised again that the sanctioning was inline with the DES preferred approach. On behalf of the parents committee Joanne requested would it be possible for the DES to meet with a representation from the parents committee to try an resolve the issue. A meeting has been arranged between the parents Committee and the DES for Friday next.

21st March 2006

John Walshe, Educational Editor, Irish Independent writes p19 "Parents of autistic schoolchildren demand promised extra resources" "it should be noted that none of the early intervention/pre-school resources sanctioned to St Catherines are classified by my department as dedicated ABA classes," added Ms Hanafin. "Pre-school gets funding after Dail protest" Irish Times article by Ruadhan MacCormaic. St Catherines receive written confirmation from Jim Jordan, Seno, NCSE of sanction. Parents Committee agree to meet with St Catherines to discuss details of sanction and the schools position.

21st March 2006

Article appears in the Irish Times. Parents along with their advocate the IAA and many supporters protest outside Dail Eireann. There is a fantastic turnout. Campaigners and general public fill in our campaign postcards to request the state to recognise and fund our childrens ABA education within St Catherines. The media are everywhere and parents and the IAA give interviews. Cormac Rennick & Kevin Whelan, IAA, Ms McNabb, a parent who took the state to court to secure an ABA education for her child, and Trevor Dagg, parents Committee all make speeches to highlight our plight and the contempt shown towards our children by the State by failing to recognise our childrens constitutional right by not providing them with an education that meets their individual needs. Reporters, cameramen and photographers are at the school during the day. Our protest features on the news throughout the day. However, by 4 pm the press have received notification from the DES that St Catherines has been sanctioned. Parents reserve their judgement until they are fully informed of what exactly is contained within the sanction. Se Goulding, NCSE, speaks with Joanne Kelly, Parents Committee and outlines the details of the sanction. He informs her that Jim Jordan, SENO, has been in contact by phone with the Principal, Teresa Smith of St Catherines and has provided details of same. He advises that written confirmation of the sanction will be received by the school the following day. St Catherines reserve judgment until they are in receipt of written confirmation. Parents concerns are raised that the sanction does not recognise or fund for "Exclusive ABA". The NCSE reiterate that they can only resource inline with DES policy. RTE news and Sky news run a story on St Catherines Barnacoyle.

20th March 2006

All arrangements are now well underway for the Dail Protest on the following day. There is a lot of media interest. Reporters are making contact all day with the Parents Committee. An Irish Times photographer goes out to Barnacoyle.

19th March 2006

"Continuous battle for parents as services for Robyn, 3, withdrawn" Sunday Independent page 6 Shane Hickey writes about the Daggs personal story and how the school closure will impact on their daughter Robyns life. There is an interesting note with regard to the NCSE, a spokesperson from the DES indicates that: "In the last couple of weeks, the National Council for Special Education, which has overall responsibility for the area of special education, has been doing research and they expect to have that research completed by the end of next week to ensure the children will be appropriately placed in such a unit" The NCSE advised the Barnacoyle Parents Group Committee on the 14th March last that: "the council must act in accordance with the Dept of Education Policy" Therefore the DES have to be prepared to provide funding within their policies for an "exclusive ABA" model of education within St Catherines before the NCSE can sanction resources for such a model.

15th March 2006

Sheena Byrne, Parent's Committee is on the Declan Meehan Show on East Coast Radio highlighting our cause.

Parents meeting in Barnacoyle House. our advocates the IAA attend. Our common objective is reiterated - we want to secure state funding for an exclusive ABA model within St Catherine's Autism Specific School. The IAA advise us that there is a Dail protest arranged for Monday 20th at 12 noon. All arrangements are discussed. The IAA have also submitted a proposal to the Pat Kenny Morning Show for Monday also regarding Barnacoyle. We agreed to meet again shortly to plan our future strategies.

Se Goulding, NCSE, responds to Joanne Kelly, Parent's Committee by email. He confirms that "the council must act in accordance with Department of Education policy".

"The Council is aware that there are corporate governance issues related to St Catherine's and that there is ongoing communication between the Deptarment as regards this issue. Once the position regarding these issues is clarified to the satisfaction of the Department, the SENO concerned should be in a position to inform the school of the outcome of the application process"

In otherwords the NCSE can not go forward without the authority from the Department. Has Minister Hanafin been misleading us?

The NCSE has agreed to meet with the parent's committee on the understanding that the issue to be discussed is one which comes under the remit of the council.

13th March 2006

We receive a copy of the Minister's response from Joe Jacob. Once again its the same letter the parents received. Joe Jacob confirms that he will continue his involvement on our behalf.

9th March 2006

Our website www.savebarnacoyle.com goes live! Wednesday 8th March 2006

We receive correspondence from Dick Roche, TD indicating that following the recent meeting that Harry Cullen had with David Grant (Dick's special advisor) Minister Roche's office is in touch with senior staff in the Department for Education & Science with a view to resolving any outstanding issues in relation to Barnacoyle. He will be in touch again with us as soon as he has heard back from the Department.

We receive a copy from Deputy Mildred Fox of the latest correspondence she has received from Minister Mary Hanafin. It is the same response that the parents group received on the 3rd March. Mildred also advised Joe Kelly (committee) that she has been speaking with Ronnie Ryan (Mary Hanafin's Private Secretary) and that he has advised her that there would be no need for the Minister to meet with parents/school as the department were currently in the process of resolving the issue and that Teresa Griffin, Principle Officer, Special Education had responded to Harry Cullen's letter of the 16th February last and Harry would be receiving it shortly.

Co Wicklow councilors stand united in their support for St Catherine's. The Bray People features an article on page 21 "Manager will try to save St Catherine's".

Joanne Kelly (Ccommittee) speaks with Se Goulding, NCSE, Se confirms that he will be talking with Teresa Griffin, Principle Officer, Special Education this week and will officially respond to the parent's committee this Friday or latest Monday next.

Work is carried out for our website www.savebarnacoyle.com and it should be going live within a couple of days.

6th March 2006

Meeting with Kevin Whelan, IAA was cancelled as Kevin Whelan was unwell and it has been rescheduled for Friday 10th March with Kevin Whelan, Harry Cullen and representatives from the Parent's Committee.

3rd March 2006

The committee receive an official response from Minister Mary Hanafin's private secretary Ronnie Ryan.

"A comprehensive letter issued to the school outlining the procedures to follow when applying for additional resources"

"The school authorities have been asked to continue to liaise with the SENO"

1st March 2006

Representatives from the newly elected parent's committee meet with Mr Harry Cullen.

Harry confirms that he has received no further communication from the Department of Education and Science and Mr Jim Jordan, SENO.

Interviews are held for a leader for Class 2 in Barnacoyle Pre-School since Claire's departure.

A small article appears on page 6 of the Wicklow Times "Funding for autistic school must be granted".

2nd March 2006

Parent's Committee's planned meeting with Harry Cullen and Kevin Whelan, IAA is postponed until Monday 6th March 2006 as Kevin Whelan unfortunately is unable to attend.

Parent's Committee write to Se Goulding, NCSE requesting an explanation as to why the parent's group has been officially ignored by the Department of Education and Science and Mr Jim Jordan, SENO (NSCE) and highlight that Minister Mary Hanafin has stated in the Dail that the NCSE is responsible for the fate of our children. We also request a meeting with Se Goulding and Jim Jordan to try and resolve the matter.

Joe Kelly, Parent's Committee contacts David Grant (Dick Roche's Constituency Secretary) who informs him that Dick Roche and himself have already had a meeting with Minister Hanafin regarding Barnacoyle. He also informs Joe that he (David Grant )has arranged a meeting with Harry Cullen, St Catherine's for Friday 3rd March 2006 and following that he will report back to Minister Hanafin. Joe can contact him next week for further clarification.

"Parents plan to bombard Minister if snub continues". Postcard campaign planned over school closure. Our case features on the front of the Wicklow People.

28th February 2006

St Catherine's Board of Directors reaffirms the ABA policy at a meeting they held.

Mary Hanafin, Minister for Education officially responds to a further question raised by Deputy Mildred Fox regarding state funding for Barnacoyle. "It will be a matter for the NCSE to process the application"

22nd February 2006

Wicklow Times publish an article on page 3 "Autistic children face uncertain future"

Parents Group meeting is held in Barnacoyle. All parents that attend consent to having Irish Autism Action as our advocate to support us in securing state funding for St Catherine's Autism Specific ABA School. Campaign postcards are distributed and the Barnacoyle Parent's Group Committee is formally elected.

21st February 2006

Irish Times writes an article in the Health Supplement - "Autism services for children set to close" featuring Jackie Caruana with her son Denis. The Parents Group receive a response from Liz McManus, TD expressing her extreme concern and advising us that she would be happy to meet with us and visit Barnacoyle.

20th February 2006

Two parents told their personal story live on the Declan Meehan Show on East Coast FM and explained how detrimental it would be to all our children if Barnacoyle closed. Liz McManus TD, and P.Matthews, Irish Society for Autism were guests on the show and they also outlined the tragic consequences that the closure would bring.

17th February 2006

Mr Harry Cullen, CEO, St Catherine's confirms to the Parent's Group that he is happy to have the IAA on board. The Parent's Group receive a response from Mr Joe Jacob, TD (letter dated 14th February) advising that he has taken up the matter with Education Minister Mary Hanafin and is awaiting her response. The Parent's Group receive a response from Mr Billy Timmins, TD (letter dated 14th February) indicating that he is making representations on our behalf and when he has further word he will be in touch.

16th February 2006

A front page feature appears in the Wicklow People "Hanafin refuses to meet parents". Mr Harry Cullen, CEO, St Catherine's addresses all the Department's issues raised (letter 7th February 2006) in a letter to Ms Teresa Griffin, Principal Officer, Special Ed, DOES (She has just recently replaced Mr Paul Kennedy) and copies it to Mr Jim Jordan, Seno. Mr Harry Cullen also forwards a letter to Mr Jim Jordan requesting an early meeting with himself and Ms Teresa Smith, Principal.

Our postcards for our appeal are collected from the printers.

The Parent's Group representatives meet with the IAA with the intention of seeking their support for our cause. The meeting is very positive and the IAA are prepared to be our Advocate.

15th February 2006

Mildred Fox, TD & Liz McManus TD each raise questions in the Dail to the Minister regarding the pending closure. Parents watch in anticipation from the Gallery.

Mildred Fox, TD "To ask the Minister to ensure that funding is provided for St Catherine's Autistic pre-school, Newcastle, Co Wicklow to ensure that this facility does not close in March"

Liz McManus,TD "The urgent need to secure the future of the ABA facility at St Catherine's School, Newcastle, Co Wicklow and to provide funding to enable the 19 children affected to attend this facility"

A response is read out on behalf of Minister Mary Hanafin "officials issued a comprehensive letter on 8th February to the school representatives outlining the Department's/NCSE's position on the various matters"

"It is now a matter for the school to proceed in accordance with the process that has been outlined to it in this letter"

"It will be a matter for the NCSE to process the application"

The Parent's Group receive a written response dated 13/02/06 from Mr Se Goulding, NCSE, outlining that the DOES has written to Mr Harry Cullen requesting clarification on various matters and to date had not yet received a response. He hoped this clarified the position of the NCSE.

14th February 2006

TV3 arrive out to Barnacoyle early in the morning to shoot a short film of the children being taught in the school and interview their parents. The report is featured on TV3 news that night.

The Sun newspaper issues a small article "Cash cut hits pupils"

13th February 2006

Further to Mr Jordan verbally expressing to parents that there our outstanding issues between the DOES and St Catherine's that are preventing him from processing our applications, Mr Jim Jordan is sent a letter on behalf of the Parent's Group expressing our concern that he has failed to initiate the process described in the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 for our children and that his verbal response to parents in our belief is designed to confuse and misrepresent the situation regarding our children's applications for special education input (a copy of this letter is given by hand to Minister Hanafin).

Article appears in the Irish Times newspaper "Parents told school for autistic children will close"

A group of parents meet with Mr David Grant in Dick Roche's constituency office on Herbert Road in Bray to highlight our cause and seek Dick Roche's support.

A group of friendly protesters (Parents & Children) wait outside Mary Hanafin's constituency clinic in Shankill. The local press are there and capture the Minister's frosty response. One parent who is in the Minister's constituency manages to get inside and make a verbal appeal to Minister Hanafin. The Minister is also handed two letters written on behalf of the Parent's Group.

Our website address is registered www.savebarnacoyle.com

12th February 2006

An article regarding the pending closure appears in the Sunday Tribune newspaper. "Parents to picket over autism school threat"

10th February 2006

An Irish Times Photographer visits Barnacoyle House to take pictures of some of the children at work in the school and pictures of their parents.

9th February 2006

Parent's Group forward letters requesting support in acquiring the necessary funding to Ms Mary Hanafin, Minister for Education & Science, An Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, Mr Jim Jordan, Seno in Co Wicklow, Mr Se Goulding, NCSE, Mr Paul Kennedy, Principle Officer, Special Ed, DOES, Mr Kevin Whelan, CEO, IAA, The 5 local Co Wicklow TD's: Mr Dick Roche, Ms Liz McManus, Mr Billy Timmins, Ms Mildred Fox & Mr Joe Jacob.

8th February 2006

Mr Harry Cullen, CEO, St Catherine's notifies parents of Barnacoyle's pending closure on the 31st March next due to lack of state funding. Parents sign Barnacoyle Parent's Group petition requesting support in acquiring full state funding for St Catherine's Autism Specific ABA School for children aged between 2-18 years.