Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for coming before the committee this afternoon. I commend them on the fact that schools have started the process of reopening. As they know, I share the view of the Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Muldoon, that all schools should be open, that the policies we are implementing at present are damaging to children and that when we come to look back on this time with the benefit of hindsight, children will say they were let down by adults during this period. Nevertheless, I commend the fact that the process of reopening has begun.

I have a couple of questions for the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, in respect of children with additional needs, after which I will put a question to the Minister, Deputy Foley. Last Friday, I met parents of children with additional educational needs who are in mainstream national schools. Those children, who are in second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth classes, will not be going back to school until Monday week. The parents are very concerned that their children with special educational needs have been discriminated against compared with children with similar needs in special schools, who are already back. I said to them that I would emphasise to both the Minister of State and the Minister the importance of trying to ensure that we get children with special educational needs back to school as soon as possible.

A question that was raised with me by the parents was whether the supplementary support scheme that is operating can be regarded as appropriate in circumstances where there are special needs assistants going from one house to another. They made the valid point that this appears to be even more questionable from a public health point of view than what would be happening if children were back in school. They asked me to emphasise that from their point of view, the supplementary support scheme is not working. Is there anything the Minister of State can say to alleviate the concerns of these parents regarding the supplementary support scheme?