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

The Deputy has a number of different questions and I will try to deal with them as best as I can. First, around the progressing disability model, the Deputy is quite correct that it is under the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte’s, remit. Obviously, I keep a close eye on it because it has a direct effect on my remit. It is being implemented by the HSE and existing therapy resources have been reconfigured into the geographically-based community disability network teams. Following a specific request from the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, in April of last year, the HSE paused the removal of multidisciplinary supports from existing special schools. It is a separate matter from the school inclusion model, which as the Deputy knows, our 2019 pilot was paused because of Covid and has now recommenced in the community healthcare organisation, CHO, 7 area. The Department is consulting with relevant Departments, including the Department of Taoiseach, the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and a memo will be coming to Government soon on that. It has always been our view on the school inclusion model that it will be a complementary therapeutic resource. It is not in lieu of the HSE therapeutic services; it is should be in addition to them and should, in fact, complement them.

The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act is there since 2004. The Deputy is quite correct that parts of it were not commenced. The Department at the time looked at parts of the Act and it was going to cost around €225 million to try to roll some of it out. That is why it badly needs to be reviewed and will be reviewed. I set up a steering group and we are in the process of setting up an advisory group as well. Then it will go to short consultation so that we can make sure that we have an Act that can be fully implemented. There is no point in having an Act unless we can fully commence it. It is very timely that we are doing that right now.

In terms of transport, we have approximately 15,500 children at the moment with special education needs who are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools. That was at a cost of more than €289 million last year. There is a review of that scheme currently under way. The Deputy said that Deputy Andrews mentioned some pinch points that are happening. I hope that review will enhance efficiencies and provide better value and a better service for students. Obviously, we want to make sure that they have an efficient service when they return to school.

On ISL, I will look into that for the Deputy in terms of the Teaching Council. I am not aware of why it would not be recognising it. That seems to be an anomaly and it should be ironed out. It is a very good course and it is a new course. There six students, as far as I am aware, who are doing that at the moment and it will provide great specialist training for them. I can follow that up for the Deputy.

I thank that answers all of the Deputy's questions. On expulsion-----