Courts / Ireland / Report

Legally blind student awarded €5k over exclusion from tuition programme during Covid

Summary

The Department of Education was ordered to pay €5,000 to Cormac Flynn, a legally blind student, after a tribunal found that he was denied access to a summer tuition programme during the Covid‑19 pandemic. Flynn, who had less than 10% sight and required magnification for close work, was told by his school that he was not eligible for home tuition under the July Provision scheme in 2020, even though blind children at primary level were normally included. His mother applied for the scheme in June 2020, hoping his needs would be met, but Flynn was refused and later had to drop honours maths. The tribunal held that the Department could have included him in the scheme based on his needs, and directed the Department to compensate him for the exclusion. The decision was upheld by the tribunal, recognising the impact of the denial on Flynn's education.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Legally blind student awarded €5k over exclusion from tuition programme during Covid. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• March 2020 Other
• June 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 2020 Other
• October 2020 Other
• 2024-09-30 Publication

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report