What a night! We did it! Our amazing community came together! Feelings of positivity, passion, power, pride, love, appreciation, respect, camaraderie filled the room!!
What a privilege for us to have heard our children’s voices so clearly telling the local candidates what they need. This is real ‘Student Voice‘ in action! Pupils present and past (future voters and future candidate!)
How empowering for our children to see the adults in our community coming together in such strength and numbers to advocate for them!
Staff and parents working together to ensure each child can thrive, can reach their full potential and be confident in their place in society. Making sure that they know we love them, that they matter, that we are proud of them and that they are always our priority!
Parents and staff supporting each other, campaigning not just for the children but for each other in our combined roles as our children’s carers and educators.
The result of our village coming together – a pledge signed by the local candidates for Enough For Every Child!
WE DID IT!!! OUR VILLAGE ROCKS!!! WE ARE AMAZING!!!
Huge thank you to the DSP community and our supporters throughout this locality who came out in force last night to shout loud and clear – ENOUGH FOR EVERY CHILD.
Our choir opened the evening with a powerful rendition of What About Us? MC for the night and member of the DSP Board of Management Ciarán Byrne introduced the student council who showed great courage in standing up in front of a huge crowd to represent their classmates. DSP Teacher Maryrose Leeson spoke passionately about the vital work of our SNAs, additional needs teachers and class teachers in supporting all children in the classroom. DSP Principal Clodagh Robinson made it crystal clear to the candidates that the current system is failing our children. Parent Sarah Sheeran spoke of how, at 8 years of age, her neurodiverse son is still on the waiting list for HSE services.
We then heard from each of the 9 election candidates in the Rathdown Constituency, representing parties across the political spectrum. It was clear that our candidates were moved by what they had just heard and we can only hope, have found new or renewed urgency in ensuring the ENOUGH FOR EVERY CHILD asks are included in the next Programme for Government and that these promises are held to account. Every candidate present then signed a pledge to say that they would make this issue a priority for government, if elected.
The evening came to a close with the voices of the new generation of voters. Secondary school pupils and DSP past pupils spoke with conviction, calling on our public representatives to take action.
Where to next? Every one of us can keep this at the forefront of the political agenda by raising it with canvassers, telling our neighbours friends and colleagues and sharing with our communities across Ireland.
With 10 days until polling day to go… This is a NATIONAL issue and we need candidates across the nation to understand the problems with Ireland’s current model of inclusive education and the lack of support across the department’s who are meant to care for them.
Together, our bold, brave and united community can help bring about change for EVERY CHILD.