DUNDALK’S FREE NEWSPAPER Bridge Street partially re-opens as work continues Page 2
David Conway appointed Chief Executive of County Council Page 7
Get to know the 24 candidates standing for election in Louth Pages 10 & 11
Wednesday, 20th November, 2024. Vol. 17, Issue 47 • 9A, Crowe Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth Tel: 042 932 0888 | Email: editorial@dundalkleader.com; advertising@dundalkleader.com
‘Our kids deserve better’
Parents at wits end over lack of school places for children with special educational needs By Paul Byrne PARENTS of children with additional needs have spoken about how they are at their wits end over the lack of places in secondary schools for their sons. Eimear McNally and Alexandra Jedrzejewska are co-founders of All Abilities Action Alliance Louth (4AL), an advocacy and support group with a mission to empower people of all abilities, as well as their caregivers and families, to fully participate in the life of the community. A recent study showed that only half of the 18 secondary schools in Louth can facilitate teaching kids with special needs. 4AL insist that every child in the country deserves a place in a secondary school and a place in their local community. The practice of bussing kids to schools in a different county can no longer be allowed to continue ac-
cording to the group. Eimear, who is the Vice Secretary of 4AL is originally from Cork but has been living in Louth since 2015. Her son Myles has additional needs and is currently in primary school in Loughlinstown in South County Dublin due to there being no places in any school in Co. Louth for him. He had previously been attending a primary school in Ardee up until 2022 until the school principal told Eimear they could no longer teach Myles due to what she described as ‘challenging behaviour’. According to Eimear the last two years have proved extremely difficult as she tried and failed to find a Primary school place for her son in Louth and now that battle begins once again as she tries to find a secondary school place for Crowds line the street for what organisers are describing as the largest attendance yet for Myles. the Frostival festival which took place in Dundalk last weekend. Pic Credit: Ruari Outdoors. Continued on Page 2