Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the meeting. I refer to a ten-year-old in an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit in Cavan. He has an occupational therapist report that recommends a laptop with the very specific software of Englishtype junior and Clicker 8. However, the special educational needs organiser, SENO, has refused to recommend this to the Department, which I think directly contravenes Article 24.2(e) in that the supports this child needs are being denied. I ask the Minister of State to clarify the role of a SENO. Should it be to ensure that the educational needs of children are met or somehow safeguard the Department in terms of spending money? I ask because this is not the only instance but one example. Perhaps I can personally raise the issue with the Minister of State after this meeting, if possible, to further the process.

Children in my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan and, indeed, elsewhere are forced to travel out of their areas to attend schools that meet their needs whether that is a special school or an ASD unit. Earlier Deputy Higgins mentioned the section 37A process. Under that process schools are asked to indicate if they have space for a unit. I know that many schools have space but they do not want to countenance having a unit in their school so are not indicating that they have space. Can the process be strengthened to ensure that all schools seriously consider having a unit in their schools? My colleague, Deputy Chris Andrews, has raised the issue of the lack of special class places and ASD unit spaces in the south Dublin area, which is very stark. The Department spends hundreds of thousands of euro every day transporting students from their localities to schools that are perhaps half an hour or an hour's journey away. That money would be better spent providing additional units. As the Minister of State knows and we all know, we need additional units in schools but many schools have refused to countenance this. Is the Minister of State working directly with, say, the Catholic patron bodies? Many of our schools still operate under a Catholic ethos and many of our schools that have units are community or DEIS schools, but many of the Catholic schools are not. Has there been an increase in the number of schools that will include a unit?

I welcome the fact that all new builds require an ASD unit. Will that be sufficient to meet the need? I would love all siblings to attend at the same school, where possible, but if there is not a unit or special class to meet the needs of those with additional needs then that may not be possible so new schools might be needed. I am in contact with Enable Ireland that has said it has been inundated with the number of new assessments being requested. That indicates, in terms of planning for the future, that there will be a huge need for more units at both primary and secondary schools and, indeed, for services post-secondary school as well so a lot of planning is needed.

The forecasting model has been mentioned. What is the latest National Council for Special Education, NCSE, prevalence rate? In 2016, it was 1.55%. Is there an up to date figure available? It is 3.3% in the North so there is quite a difference, which I wonder about.

Will Down's syndrome children be included in the summer provision? I ask because there was some confusion concerning that last year.