Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

If 50% of those who seek a review subsequently get SNAs, it shows that an overly restrictive approach is being taken by the Department. When so much time is tied up with trying to get both SNAs and special classes, it takes away from the time spent with students. I hear from principals that this is the cause of major pressure. We need to look at the system because if 50% of appeals are resulting in SNAs being allocated, then something is not right. In addition, many of those who are appealing are not getting SNAs. This is despite the fact that it is clear to everybody involved that they are desperately needed.

While it does not come within the remit of the Department, I wish to raise the issue of progressing disability services and the children's disability network teams. Deputy Tully also touched on this matter. In the context of what families are dealing with already, they are not even getting the first interaction with the children's disability network teams. When we consider what families are dealing with already, we know that their first interaction with those teams is to be placed on a waiting list for months just to get an initial assessment in the context of getting early interventions such as speech and language therapy, physiotherapy or occupational therapy. These are crucial services that should be there for people and that they should not be fighting for but, trust me, most people are. They are not even getting the first point of contact with them. Then they cannot get a place in a special class, an early intervention unit, in access and inclusion or in a special school.

Another matter I want to highlight what people are experiencing and the real barrier they face in accessing education for their children. In the entire constituency of Cork South-West - a person could drive for two and a half hours and still be in the constituency - there is no special school. We know that not everybody can attend mainstream school. Obviously, that is the aim and what everybody would like, but there are situations where a special school is needed. For people to have to travel that far, when talking about education being a right for people, it is not even a possibility for many people. I wish to highlight that. I know it sounds very localised but I am sure it is the case in other areas as well. I am not sure what the story is with the provision of those specific special schools, but I ask that the Minister of State looks at that area and see if a special school can be put closer to people, because it is just not feasible, particularly when talking about disabilities. Some of the people and families I have engaged with, their child cannot spend that long in a car. It is too enclosed a space. A two-and-a-half-hour journey is turned into something much longer because they have to stop regularly for their child to get out of the car and have some space out of that environment. A response from the Minister of State on the special school would be great.