Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have moved swiftly through all the members. I have the opportunity to say a few words as Vice Chair. I will then allow members to come back in. Deputy Conway-Walsh indicated that she had more questions. We will, therefore, have a few minutes to come back.

I thank all the witnesses. I found it illuminating and frustrating at the same time, in coming back to this issue that is so fundamentally important to our society and the way we operate, to see the blockages that continue to be an issue. We absolutely must do our best in terms of ensuring that every young person with an intellectual disability has the opportunity to have an education plan that is suited to them. It is going to take us a long time to get to that point.

I have a number of general questions on the particular topic we are discussing for whosoever of the witnesses wishes to respond to them. It is good that the Minister stated that one of her priorities is to review and update the EPSEN Act, which as we know is 17 years old. Do the witnesses have any views on what specific areas of the Act need to be renewed or amended?

Second, we heard from Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan earlier that an individual education plan, IEP, was used at his school, which was great. The fact that the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI, and the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, have advised their members not to implement individual education plans, given their lack of statutory footing, is absolutely concerning. Could the witnesses comment on their views of the importance of the IEPs? I get a sense they feel it is important but perhaps they feel the lack of statutory footing has had an impact.

Parents are having considerable difficulty in finding a suitable school place, particularly at secondary level. I certainly have found that to be the case for special needs students in County Kildare. Notwithstanding that extra powers were given to the Minister of the day with regard to schools admission, do witnesses think the Department should have more powers to compel schools? I tend to agree with an earlier comment that we need to incentivise schools, as opposed to compel them, or perhaps take the fear some schools may have regarding providing education for those with special needs. Perhaps the witnesses could comment on that.

We have spoken about the SENOs, with whom my own experience has been less than satisfactory. In a case with which I had dealings, the SENO's response was to tell parents they could take a section 29 action and more or less encouraged them to do so. That set up a whole adversarial session straight away between the school and the parents and it was not helpful. From what I found, although I have no doubt there are exceptions to the rule, providing a list of schools and telling parents to contact them is not good enough.

My final question is regarding our committee. We will be examining the issue of leaving certificate reform later in the year. As they are here, do the witnesses have any comments on the specific needs of special needs students, particularly around the whole leaving certificate applied? I will take answers in the order of whoever puts their hand up.