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

Is cúis áthais dom a bheith anseo inniu. Mar is eol dúinn, tá Seachtain na Gaeilge faoi lán seoil agus ba mhaith liom cúpla focal Gaeilge a úsáid ár dtús báire. Bímis bródúil as ár dteanga dhúchais agus úsáidimis í chomh minic agus is féidir.

We have seen the challenges faced by students, staff and families in recent weeks. I recognise the work of all these groups in dealing with the difficulties created by Covid-19. Our education system, as we know, is built on partnership and when everyone works together then all obstacles can be overcome.

It is well established that remote learning is particularly challenging for students with additional needs and there is a risk of regression and loss of key skills. While additional supports can make a difference, nothing will replace the effectiveness of in-person, in-school education. It was for this reason the Government was determined that special education would be given priority in terms of support and school reopening.

Special schools were prioritised to reopen on 11 February on a 50% attendance basis. All special classes returned to in-school learning on a full-time basis from 22 February. Special schools returned to full-time in-school education yesterday, 1 March. It was a significant and welcome development which saw more than one third of primary schools and one quarter of post-primary schools open for children with special education needs in special classes, in advance of any return to mainstream education.

As part of the living with Covid-19 plan, NPHET has recommended a phased and cautious return to school over the coming weeks. Work will continue to ensure that all students with special education needs in mainstream school can return to the classroom. It is essential that as a society we continue to make progress in curbing the spread of the disease to allow all of our children to return to school as quickly as possible. The whole school community is working, including updated public health guidance and a framework document which outlines temporary time bound staffing arrangements, the application of substitution arrangements, time bound temporary arrangements for pupil attendance, information on school transport options, childcare provision and other matters.

The Minister, Deputy Foley, all in government, our officials and I are aware the return to classrooms for students with additional needs and their families is much more than just a return to learning. We are aware that some families and school staff still have concerns about the return. All of the decisions made by Government over the past year have been about meeting the twin aims of protecting public health and delivering essential services such as education in the most appropriate way for all students. In politics, we may not always agree but I know all committee members are united in wanting to see our country emerge from Covid-19 restrictions successfully and as soon as possible.

In recognising that pupils with additional needs can find it harder to engage in remote learning, the Department has also put in place a supplementary support scheme to provide for some home based one-to-one support for such pupils. The supplementary programme for eligible pupils in third to sixth class will be extended by a further two weeks or an additional ten hours. Schools have been asked to prioritise deployment of their special education teaching, SET, resources to facilitate the engagement of pupils with special education needs, SEN, in third to sixth class. This will necessitate further collaboration between the special education teachers, SETs, and class teachers to establish current priority learning needs among those pupils.

I am determined to ensure an enhanced summer programme for children with special educational needs in summer 2021, as successfully happened last year. This programme provided a strong foundation to support students in advance of their return to in-school learning in September 2020 following the long summer break. It also allowed schools and staff to identify and address educational regression in students so as to make the transition back to school easier for these students and their families.

Since my appointment, we have successfully run that expanded summer provision programme, secured a record €2 billion budget for special education, opened a new special school, provided the resources for the creation of 1,200 additional special class places next year and worked to put special education first as part of school reopening. We know that challenges remain and I am determined to tackle these. As I said, I am happy to be here today to engage with the committee, to hear its perspectives on those issues and provide updates or further information where we can.