Dr. Fidelma Brady:

I will make just one point. It will be a little longer than one sentence but I will try to keep it as quick as I can. The focus today has been on employment and further education. Underpinning all third-level education or third-level employment options is the provision of an appropriate second-level experience. I do not think we can just jump across that and all of a sudden hope that employment will work out. There are a couple of aspects to that, which are particularly pertinent in respect of Article 24. For example, the ongoing review of the senior cycle in post-primary school needs to be urgently accelerated and completed without any further delay. For example, in some schools transition year, TY, is still not available for all students. Some schools do not provide a TY course or the leaving certificate applied; they only provide the traditional leaving certificate. Schools must ensure that all these programmes are provided to all students with special education needs.

Another worrying fact came out of a recent survey we conducted of our own members, which is that 75% of those at post-primary school, and young adults, had no career guidance whatsoever. They had no career guidance training or tuition. That severely limits post-school options, be those in employment or further education. Again, disability awareness training is a major factor and teacher training must take that into consideration. We need to prepare these young people adequately at post-primary level and we must come out of the mindset that attendance at a day service is the only or main option available. More supports are needed at post-primary level to manage the transition to adulthood, be that into employment or further education. Unless the supports are in place at post-primary level, we are missing a step and it will be problematic. I again thank the committee.