Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It will be difficult to confine myself to five minutes. I salute the witnesses for their passion for the area in which they work. It is so badly needed. Dr. Joanne McCarthy is right that we need to prioritise and focus on two or three key areas to make achievements. The education committee will absolutely look at that. Career guidance was mentioned by both Dr. Patricia McCarthy and Mr. Robert Murtagh and it is key. We shall take that on board. I am interested in what was said about the 56,000 extra diagnoses this year. Can that be broken down further with reference to those born with a disability and those who acquire one? Is there an age profile in that regard?

Dr. Patricia McCarthy is a testament to tenacity, vision and ambition. Hers is an incredible life story. Hearing of the barriers she has overcome to be where she is, it is clear that she is an incredible person and very compelling. She is completely right in relation to individual education plans. The EPSEN Act came in after the 2003 games and we lobbied strongly for it at the time. Much more needs to be done in that area and in relation to transitional planning. We will certainly take that up in the education committee. Supporting people's ambition to study is important because it leads to access to employment opportunities.

I thank Mr. O'Connor and Mr. Murtagh for sharing Jason's story, which is inspirational. I have come across situations in which young people with intellectual disabilities have done their applied leaving certificate. Their parents and schools find it difficult to get employers to take them on even for work experience for the required week. I cannot say I do not understand that in circumstances in which work needs to be done with employers to make them comfortable around it. I have taken students on and it has been a very positive experience. We need to work on that.

The witnesses are 100% right on the chronic shortage of places for ASD. In Kildare, we have 64 primary level classrooms whereas there are only 18 at secondary level. We had a situation recently at Scoil Na Naomh Uilig in Newbridge, which has a special unit. While eight young people had gone through eight years there, there were no places for them at second level with the result that three had to go back to a special school which was already full. That was the Department's response. It forced a local school to take the remaining five so the box could be ticked. There was a complete lack of forward planning. It is something we have agreed to consider as part of our committee's work programme and we hope to take it on in September. We will certainly invite the witnesses in at that stage.

The witnesses are also 100% right about the fact that special schools are not included in the review of career guidance. I have been to Maynooth where I met some of the participants from KARE in the initiative to which the witnesses referred. Approximately two months ago, I was in Maynooth again and I spoke to leaders in the whole area of further education. They would love to continue that work. The point about apprenticeships and skills was well made as was the point about the need for courses to come in at levels 3 and 4. That is something we will work on. If the witnesses feel there is anything else at a purely educational level, I ask them to please comment later.