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Family 'devastated' that school for children with autism not ready for September opening

Gillian and Darren Milne appeared on RTÉ’s Prime Time to speak about their experience.

THE PARENTS OF two boys with autism have told of their disappointment after it emerged the school they were supposed to start this September will not be ready until later this year. 

Gillian and Darren Milne appeared on RTÉ’s Prime Time during the summer to speak about their experience of trying to get an education for their twin boys Kyle and Ryan. 

Speaking in the aftermath of that broadcast, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he had watched the programme, and that it’s “not good enough”.

He added: “The state has failed the Milne family, and Ryan and Kyle in particular, in terms of providing a proper, comprehensive education … that would be appropriate to their needs.”

He added that the Milnes had applied for places for the boys in two schools and had been refused. 

But speaking again on Prime Time last night, the Milnes spoke of their disappointment that the special needs school in north Dublin they were preparing to send their children to will now not be ready until at least October. 

The boys’ mother, Gillian Milne, said that the school building in Swords, north Dublin, is not yet ready.

“Ryan and Kyle have been 11 years at home. We really thought this September is going to be our September,” she told RTÉ’s Prime Time.

“Why can’t they be like every other child getting ready to go back to school? If Ryan and Kyle didn’t have special needs, they would be going to the local school around the corner. There wouldn’t be a problem.”

Gillian added that she has been in constant contact with the department over her sons’ education. 

“Yesterday was when we really found out for definite that we were offered a school place, but there is no actual school ready – and it won’t be for 1 September.”

“Yes, there is a letter from the department with an actual offer, but it’s a letter with an offer. There is no school,” Gillian said.

The Department of Education has been contacted for comment.

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul J. Redmond
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    Dec 12th 2018, 9:39 PM

    A perfect metaphor for today’s Russia…

    271
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    Mute Robert Rusk
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    Dec 13th 2018, 8:50 AM

    @Paul J. Redmond: a Potemkin village?

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Dec 13th 2018, 5:10 PM

    @Paul J. Redmond: Are you a racist Father…

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    Mute Danny G
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:04 PM

    the late late show had one of them for years until Tubs replaced him!

    177
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    Mute Robert Rusk
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    Dec 13th 2018, 8:51 AM

    @Danny G: except it couldnt dance or sing

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    Mute Jamie Mul
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    Dec 13th 2018, 10:48 AM

    @Robert Rusk: Still can’t.

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    Mute European Bob
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    Dec 12th 2018, 9:38 PM

    Should’ve got someone who could actually dance and it might have looked half realistic then. Peter Crouch maybe?

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    Mute Alan Biddulph
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    Dec 12th 2018, 9:53 PM

    Johnny 5 is alive!

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    Mute Darren Davis
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:54 PM

    AWESOM-O

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    Mute John Quill
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    Dec 13th 2018, 3:50 AM

    @Darren Davis: fart sequence gave him away

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    Mute Donnacha Bhoicaire
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    Dec 12th 2018, 9:38 PM

    Cmon now Ted

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    Mute Robert Rusk
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    Dec 13th 2018, 8:52 AM

    @Donnacha Bhoicaire: wait a minute … these are FAKE HANDS

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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    Dec 12th 2018, 9:48 PM

    Did they get it from Western Building Systems?

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    Mute Barry Somers
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:11 PM

    It’s no Boston Dynamics robot that’s for sure…they are getting scary

    https://youtu.be/wXxrmussq4E

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    Mute Toomasu Sumitsu
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    Dec 13th 2018, 12:03 AM

    @Barry Somers: that’s clearly a dog in a costume!

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    Mute Barry Somers
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    Dec 13th 2018, 1:54 PM

    @Toomasu Sumitsu: shi*t, you are right, it’s clearly a greyhound

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    Mute Quentin Moriarty
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    Dec 12th 2018, 9:58 PM

    George Lucas was way ahead of his time

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    Mute Edmund Murphy
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    Dec 13th 2018, 7:25 AM

    So after years of Russian bots pretending to be people we have Russian people pretending to be Bots.

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    Mute lapsy pa
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    Dec 12th 2018, 9:39 PM

    Should have got peter crouch !

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    Mute Limón Madrugada
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:04 PM

    It was a give away when he pissed on Trumps bed …

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    Mute David Coyne
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    Dec 13th 2018, 8:25 AM

    This is clearly a plot by the West to discredit Russia, followers of Putin will be along shortly to explain properly.

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    Mute Peter Pistolé
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:00 PM

    Chief Knock-A-Homer strikes again

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    Mute Dot Com
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:00 PM

    Aliexpress?.

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    Mute Rei
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    Dec 13th 2018, 2:55 AM

    It does look like a lad in a costume to be fair haha

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    Mute Colm Lawlor
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    Dec 12th 2018, 11:24 PM

    Those pesky Russians

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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Dec 13th 2018, 6:05 PM

    Aren’t they all robots?

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Dec 13th 2018, 5:13 PM

    If they wanted to fool people they wouldn’t have used a commonly used costume, it seems that if they used a Santa clause costume then the same people would find something else to complain about as the same people complain about Russian bot under their beds…

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    Mute Dermot Collins
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:04 PM

    United should sign him up

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