Parents' school closure challenge adjourned in High Court

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Parents of five children with special education needs had their challenge to school closures adjourned at the High Court on 1 February 2021, while the State was directed to file its reply within a week.

The five judicial review actions seek orders requiring the Minister for Education and the State to reopen schools for pupils with intellectual disabilities and provide adequate education.

The children cannot be identified for legal reasons. Their parents claim the closures caused severe regression in basic skills and breached duties under education legislation and Article 42 of the Constitution.

A hearing date had not been fixed, with the judge saying it was premature to do so and adjourning the cases for a week.