Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the State examinations, there are accommodations in place for the children to whom the Deputy referred. They are called special arrangements or reasonable accommodations. There are, therefore, supports in place for children with special needs who are doing the leaving certificate this year. The junior certificate does not apply this year. I am not sure if the Deputy mentioned the junior certificate but she may have mentioned the leaving certificate.

While remote learning and not attending school are not optimum for children, there are supports in place. I mentioned these earlier and they include the supplementary programme, which will provide significant help. This involves in-home tuition and takes place on a one-on-one basis in the evenings or at weekends. Other than that, updated guidance has been given to schools on some of the issues that children will need assistance with. There are key themes in the guidance documents around the role of schools, teachers and school leaders working with children with special educational needs on all of their needs.

It is important that schools reach out to parents and let them know what is available. There has to be regular engagement with pupils and students. There is a blend of guided and independent learning and tasks. There is two-way feedback between the home and school and supports for students with special educational needs. We are looking at focusing on special education teaching hours for students who are not going back yet. I also mentioned the summer programme.

On early intervention, while this issue is not under my remit, I have raised with the Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Rabbitte, and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, the concerns the Deputy mentioned.