New Substack on these new "inclusive" autism classes and what we learned from the AsIAm/NCSE webinar last night. #edchatie open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

Latest figures show another increase in record numbers in emergency accommodation - 17,517 at the end of March. The figure is up over 2000 since the same period last year, while more than half of the increase in March 2026 is children, perhaps reflecting impact of tenancy reforms

Another round of PQs submitted and the absolute word salad that came back... it would nearly be impressive if it wasn’t so infuriating. You can spend hours crafting something precise and thoughtful, and what you get in return is a generic, copy-and-paste fog that sidesteps every single point.

I only launched this last night at 9pm and I’m almost at €2k. I’m blown away. This supports children who deserve happy, fulfilling school days. For them, school is their only State support, and their teachers and SNAs/ANAs make each day better. Every euro makes that experience happier. Thank you. ❤️

THREAD: Like so many parents, we spend a lot of time fundraising for the services and advocates who support our child. For me, the Mini Marathon is for my daughter’s incredible autism class. I’m lacing up again this June to raise funds for her school. (1/3)

Other Government ministers will be asked to find €446m in efficiencies and other reforms this year, to pay for extra funding for the Department of Education. That Department is today being given €646m in extra cash to cover rising costs in Special Ed, with €200m ‘new’ cash and the rest in savings

Delighted to have had my article published in @irisheducationalstudies www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

We’re going live on the other place (🤳) this Sunday at 8pm, on the AsIAm page. I’ll share my bit from an educator’s perspective, but as always, the voices that matter most are our autistic panellists, who’ll be sharing their experiences to help us all learn, reflect, and avoid ableism. Join us.

As a mother of two and a teacher of 29, I see every day how we’ve made childhood and the lives of children smaller, harder, and poorer than it needs to be; not through inevitability, but through a lack of imagination, care, and any real interest in doing better for children in this country.

Another day, another announcement dressed up as progress. Bigger classes. No clear resourcing. And a name that raises more questions than answers. New Substack here: ciarareillylecturer.substack.com/p/a-new-auti... #edchatie

🚨 Michael Healy-Rae resigns as junior minister and will vote no confidence

The WhatsApp line for #MondayGR is open now - we’re all ears for your comments on the fuel supports, the demos, the disruption, the government’s response and whatever comes next! ➡️ wa.me/353896074218

New Morning Ireland jingle alert.

And a left and green alternative look on, wondering how an electorate can be so quick to forget (or so willing to forgive!) for some but never them.

The very lads with the chests out now, convinced they’ve shown them, will be the same ones walking into polling stations in November 2029 and calmly putting a big number 1 beside the very party they were tearing apart in the residents’ WhatsApp.

FF&FG represent a cohort, but in trying to remain everything to that group (and avoid being anything that might cost them broader support) they’ve made themselves politically shapeless. Malleable to the point of meaninglessness. Shifting on any issue, and in doing so, standing firmly for nothing.

Irish politics! We’re political party A & B. Our decisions are landing badly and causing real frustration. But we’re not *them*. That is enough. Enough to pivot, to U-turn, to try something, drop it, and move on, all on the assumption that, when it comes down to it, you won’t risk voting for others.

At some point, we have to ask what the mandate actually is. Reality is, they’re only in power because the electorate isn’t ready for a Sinn Féin government. They’re in because they aren't them, and can retreat on decisions on a whim. We are governed on whatever is acceptable… until it's not.

How many times in this government’s lifetime can it govern *exactly as it said it would* (in line with its own policies, the ones people voted for!) only to roll it all back the moment public pressure lands? SNA issue the perfect example. Now this.

Some women lose their men to the Masters. I have lost my man to a Hugarian general election AND the Masters.

Resharing this because (a) apparently the Insta version “is going viral within government” (folks, have you maybe considered trying to explain this yourselves?) and (b) it illustrates how hard it will be to offer some other tangible costcutting that can convince the blockades to stand down

As we await what happens next, my thoughts on the blockades and the big feelings attached. ciarareillylecturer.substack.com/p/when-the-m...

You can probably support the working class and demand support for people who are struggling because of capitalist inequality and also not pretend massively bigoted rhetoric and action isn't happening or being Trojan-horsed in under the guise of taking down those in power, by the way. Just a thought.

A quick look at social media and live streams showing all the anti immigrant, anti IPAS, anti trans crew all over the blockades spinning rubbish re climate crisis etc.

New Substack. open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

Caminante, son tus huellas el camino y nada más; Caminante, no hay camino, se hace camino al andar. Al andar se hace el camino, y al volver la vista atrás se ve la senda que nunca se ha de volver a pisar. Caminante, no hay camino sino estelas en la mar.

Getting ready to go on #MondayGR, live at 10 on Virgin Media One. Tonight: the government says it has no plan for fuel rationing, but the EU tonight asks member states to start cutting back on their use… James Lawless explains the stance, and his aspirations for 42,000 new student homes

Be part of the conversation on #MondayGR tonight - send us your comments at wa.me/353896074218. What do you want to see the government do to help you with this spike in costs?

NEW: #MondayGR 🚨 Petrol taxes to fall by 17c/litre (including VAT) from midnight tomorrow 🚨 Diesel to fall by 22c/litre 📉 Fall will come through excise cuts and suspending NORA levy 🚨 Dáil will be asked to vote through measures tomorrow 🚨 Higher commercial diesel rebate @virginmedianews.bsky.social

Personally, I see this as an appalling lack of commitment to Quiz Night Mondays. ☺️

A few days ago, I spoke to @deshocks.bsky.social on her Irish Examiner podcast to unpack why change in inclusive Ed is urgently needed and why we need to extend the SNA conversation beyond some of the headlines you may have heard so far. #edchatie podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/t...

New That’ll Teach You pod out. I absolutely loved this conversation. I try to lay all things autims out honestly from the perspective of a parent and a teacher, and I hope it's helpful. A good listen for staff rooms, I hope. Lots of compassion for teachers in it. podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/t...

New Substack post on what happened in Cork this week, and what it says about the current state of play in special education. #edchatie

Grateful to have had two shout-outs for my Substack on the floor of Dáil Éireann this week. Here’s my most recent piece on where we need to go next. Beyond pauses, optics, and blame, and toward real structural change. open.substack.com/pub/ciararei... #edchatie

I'm writing in today's Irish Examiner on what this SNA U-turn tells us about this government coalition. Spoiler alert: it's not good. www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm... #edchatie

A post where I analyse a most frustrating exchange between Holly Cairns and the Taoiseach open.substack.com/pub/ciararei...

I'll take it

My analysis of the SNA cuts/freeze as covered in my Substack over the past couple of days: 1. From last Saturday open.substack.com/pub/ciararei... #edchatie

Wrote this for the Examiner today. www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm... #edchatie

Thanks @primedteacher.bsky.social for writing this passionate piece for us today

I’m deeply disappointed to see that my comment, along with all others on Norma Foley’s post, has been removed. For context, here it is again.

In case I disappear again - I'm here on the other place. I give out less there. www.instagram.com/ciarareillyt...

So yeah. This platform. Did it take off? Worth hanging around? I mean, I need a platform that isn't just my Instagram to share my usual stream of frustration with this government *and* to state the obvious - yes, Ana the Jack Russell was absolutely robbed at Crufts. Robbed.

Didn't use this platform in months and straight in, I'm giving out.

The days of the AON are numbered, the only way they'll ever get through that 14,000 waiting list is by eliminating it. This is already happening with the autism protocol. They're only delighted that so many of us have gone private for our assessments! This is the model! Their choice! Privatisation.

I understand that politicians need to share their media appearances, but I was shocked that Minister Norma Foley seemed so pleased after that harrowing hour of radio yesterday. That brave mother shared nothing but isolation and despair, yet after it, the Minister posts about her delight.

I love Áine Lawlor. 😂 #GE24

This. People need to understand that no single political party can solve this issue, nor could even the most capable Minister. The real problem lies with the permanent officials in the Department and the HSE. Until their behaviour and inaction is addressed, no meaningful change will happen. #GE24

It's worth noting that not only has the Disabilities Minister lost her seat, but the Health Minister is also likely to lose his. Meanwhile, the Minister for Special Education is fighting to hold onto the final seat. The tripartite of political aid that disabled Irish children need. Telling. #GE24