Parents at a school for autistic children with complex needs have called for a full investigation after learning the principal at their children\u2019s school was accused by a former student of emotional and physical abuse in a previous setting.<\/p>\n
As an adult, P\u00e1id\u00ed Manning made a detailed submission to Tusla, outlining a series of allegations against John Condon, his former teacher and housemaster at the Good Counsel College in New Ross, Co Wexford, between 2001 and 2003.<\/p>\n
In 2023, Tusla determined Mr Manning\u2019s allegations against Mr Condon were \u201cfounded\u201d. According to Tusla, \u201cfounded\u201d means it established on the balance of probabilities that abuse did occur.<\/p>\n
In a letter to Mr Manning, it noted he had given a \u201ccredible and consistent\u201d account of having experienced incidences of childhood abuse \u201cboth physical and emotional in nature\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Manning told Tusla that his former teacher had ordered an older student to assault him with a T-square, forced him and fellow boarders to stand outside in underwear as \u201cpunishment\u201d, and forced him to kneel head-to-floor with his backside raised.<\/p>\n
He also told Tusla he saw Mr Condon assault two fellow students.<\/p>\n
Mr Condon, who also worked as the head of adult education with Down Syndrome Ireland between September 2022 and January 2025, went on to be appointed the principal of Belmayne Community Special School.<\/p>\n
The special school opened last November under the patronage of Dublin and D\u00fan Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) for children between the ages of 4 and 18 who have autism and complex needs, including moderate or severe to profound learning disabilities.<\/p>\n
Mr Manning said it was \u201cterribly concerning\u201d his former teacher went on to be appointed principal of the school.<\/p>\n
Parents at Belmayne Community Special School learned of the complaint this week after Mr Manning went public with his testimony with a report in the Mail on Sunday that identified Mr Condon.<\/p>\n
Parents have now also raised wider issues with the school, including that children are regularly being excluded through suspensions and threatened with expulsion for behaviors associated with their children’s disabilities.<\/p>\n
Children have yet to attend a full school day, parents have told the Irish Examiner. Many of the school’s students are non-verbal.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the Belmayne Parents Group said: \u201cHow was this individual appointed as principal?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n We demand accountability. What vetting and safeguarding protocols were followed by the DDLETB during the hiring process?\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The group added that the school has only been open for six months but \u201cin that short time, our families have faced a systematic failure to provide a safe and appropriate educational environment\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite our children requiring one-to-one support, classes of six pupils are currently struggling with only one teacher and two SNAs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There is a total absence of individual behavior support plans, a high turnover of staff, and a complete breakdown in communications between school leadership parents.\u201d<\/p>\n
Multiple attempts were made to contact Mr Condon.<\/p>\n