THE Department of Education has refused an application by Leap National School for the funding needed to provide proper access for people with disabilities.

According to Social Democrat Leader, Holly Cairns (TD), the department said the application could only be considered if a need was established. 

The party leader said the department was of the opinion that providing improved access to the school was 'not an emergency.'

The decision surprised and angered some members of the school board considering that Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005 requires public bodies to ensure that public areas are accessible to people with disabilities.

Disability access refers to compliant parking, accessible routes, adequate door widths which measure a minimum of 900mm, and turning spaces for wheelchair users – the only exception being heritage sites.

Like so many older schools around the country, Leap National School is currently inaccessible to anyone in a wheelchair. The decision to submit the application was the school's move to future-proof it for pupils, parents and teachers.

'By waiting until a child or teacher is urgently in need, disabled people are effectively excluded from the school,' she said.

Having spoken with the school principal, the party leader raised the matter in the Dáil stating: 'Accessibility in our schools is a basic right, but apparently it is treated as an afterthought by the Department of Education.

Rather than taking a proactive approach and supporting schools, she said: 'The department’s approach is wholly reactive and ad-hoc.'

She said the principal and the school community applied for funding under the 'Emergency Works' scheme, knowing that the application, and the access improvement work, would take time and resources to complete.

Deputy Cairns said the intention was to build an access ramp and widen the doors to accommodate wheelchair users.

'Rather than funnelling applications through an Emergency Works section, there is an urgent need to bring all our aging school buildings up to the standard required to allow easy and safe access for all,' she concluded. 

'Every school has a budget,' said the principal of Leap National School, Mary Crowley, 'and a lot of thought goes into making an application because you need expert opinion and reports.

'We did all of that only to be told that our application was being refused because currently there is no member of the school community - either staff or student - who needs universal access.

Describing the departmental response as 'a slap in the face,' the principal: 'The situation could change tomorrow morning. We could have a concert, a graduation, a function. 

'As it stands, when somebody in a wheelchair comes to our door unfortunately unless someone can physically lift them into the building they cannot access the school, which is shameful.'

'This is a public building, and there is supposed to be universal access. God forbid, but if a child or staff member were involved in an accident that rendered them in a wheelchair where do we go?' asked the principal.

The Southern Star contacted the Department of Education and Youth and requested a comment.