Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending today and for their submissions. I want to try to understand the July provision for those with Down's syndrome and I have read the submission from Down Syndrome Ireland carefully. The parents of Down's syndrome children are upset and I feel they have to right to be upset. We all know the pandemic has been extremely difficult for children and families with complex and special needs with the loss of routine, attending classes and one-on-one contact with teachers and SNAs. That could not have been avoided but it still would have had a huge impact on many children, not only those with Down's syndrome but any kids with complex or additional needs.

The Minister announced on 5 June that he would open the summer provision programme for this year to include children with Down's syndrome and he made no distinction between those attending preschool and primary school and those attending post-primary school. As an elected representative from Waterford, I was contacted by various parents and I went back to them and said that kids with Down's syndrome would be included in the July provision. The parents were extremely happy and they felt this would have a great influence on their kids before they went back to school. However, we have since learned that July provision will only be made available for those students with Down's syndrome who are in primary school. I am trying to understand why that is so. Is it because of capacity issues and that the Department would not be in a position to provide the July provision to kids who are in first or second year? These children might only be aged 13 or 14, they have transitioned from sixth class and they are now going into first year in secondary school but they will not be able to avail of the July provision, which is really necessary for many of them. The transition between primary and secondary school can be very difficult. I am a mother of three children and I know it is a huge step for any child to take. I am thinking of the case of a child with Down's syndrome who has been in mainstream school and will now be moving on to first year in secondary school in September when please God the schools will reopen. Why was that decision taken? Is it purely a capacity issue that the Department felt there would not be enough teachers, SNAs or school capacity to deal with this?