Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses to the committee today. I thank them for taking the time to be here and for their opening statements.

The National Council for Special Education and the Department of Education and Skills acknowledge that school closure and extended periods of time outside the classroom and the normal learning environment as well as the loss of regular school routine is causing regression in learning and skills and is having a widespread negative impact on children with complex needs and their families. Mr. Egan has also said that. All the central stakeholders are also highlighting the Government's summer programme as a pathway to combating such issues. Mr. Egan called for the scheme to be opened to all children with intellectual disabilities, including those in secondary school. Is it his understanding that this includes all children with complex needs that are in preschool, primary school and post-primary, as well as those with Down's syndrome? If this does not happen, in his view how potentially devastating could the long-term effects of such a decision be?