The closure of a Galway school for children with special needs has been averted but only it until the end of the summer when it says it will need emergency funding from the Department of Education to stay open.
The 21 pupil St Teresa's Special School in Ballinasloe was threatened with closure this week due to difficulties in meeting the spiralling cost of insurance. The school's annual premium rose from €3,000 in 2017 to €18,000 last year and €26,300 this year.
Talks were held with insurers on Wednesday. However, no major reduction in the premium was offered as there are claims against the school in train.
The school said it had now agreed to pay this year’s premium but it would not be able to reopen as normal in September unless the department stepped in.
Ken Campbell, a parent and a member of the school's board of management, said if the department did not provide emergency funding, the facility which first opened its doors in 2008, would have no choice but to close leaving his eight-year-old daughter, Emma and 20 other students with nowhere to go.
“This isn’t a situation where the children can move to another school. There is nowhere else that can cater for their needs which includes wheelchair accessibility, hoists and a suitable space for the range of activities provided by the four teachers and the 11 special needs assistants.
"The board did shop around for insurance but the problem is we only got one quote. We fundraise every year to cover our costs but this year's premium of €26,300 is beyond us and our patron, Ability West. Insurance hikes are a huge problems for schools like this."
Mr Campbell, the father of four daughters ranging in age from 24 to three, says that the reason for the price hike is probably because the school is located in temporary accommodation on the grounds of the former St Bridget Psychiatric Hospital.
A greenfield site in the town has been earmarked and approved between Galway County Council and the department but no funding has yet been put in place. A purpose-built school would lessen any safety risks and accordingly the cost of insurance would go down.
“The principal and staff have done and are doing all they can but the educational lives of Emma and the other students could be over if the school is forced to close. It’s a case of profit before children. And these are vulnerable children who are being treated like second class citizens,” he added.
Mr Campbell, who has campaigned locally on accessibility issues for a number of years is standing as a Social Democrats candidate in the Ballinasloe Municipal Area to further highlight the situation.
“Win or lose this election, my battle - and that of the other parents in the school - will continue long afterwards. This is not like a mainstream school where the pupils move onto secondary school. These children expect to be attending until they are 18 so it’s a long road.
“There’s fantastic support for the school in Ballinasloe and we fundraise every year but this 700 per cent hike in the insurance in a space of three years is too much. The board is negotiating with the insurance company to get cover until the end of June when the school closes for the summer. . . but we don’t know what’s going to happen in September,” he said.
