Galway Mother Fears Daughter with Severe Dyslexia «Left Behind» Amid Reading Class Shortage

Leonie Keane from Co Galway fears her eight-year-old daughter, diagnosed with severe dyslexia (between 1st and 2nd percentile for word processing and literacy), is being «left behind» due to a lack of places in specialized reading classes. An educational psychologist recommended such a class, which offers targeted two-year support for nine pupils per teacher before they return to mainstream education.

Keane sought a place for her daughter at Scoil Chaitríona Senior in Renmore, Co Galway, but she was unsuccessful as over 20 applicants competed for just six spots. The principal, Marianne Brady, confirmed the class is consistently oversubscribed, calling it a «desperate search» for parents of children with severe needs. Brady noted that children in these classes show significant improvement in literacy, self-esteem, and confidence.

There are only four reading schools and 14 reading classes nationwide, with no new classes or schools opened by the Department of Education in over 10 years. The Department stated it supports pupils with additional learning needs in mainstream classes, investing in special education teaching resources. However, Dyslexia Ireland CEO Rosie Bissett highlighted a «huge gap» between mainstream and specialized support, advocating for more resources, teacher upskilling, and high-quality literacy intervention programs in all primary schools.