Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Resource teachers are still not being valued and in some cases are being withdrawn from their duties to substitute in a mainstream class. That is still happening depending on the school, but it should not happen at all. I brought up with the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, that non-SEN teachers are being put into autism classes, for example, are being told to teach there for a couple years and then they will be given a full-time position. It is happening in some cases. I know it is not all but it should not happen at all. It is not fair on the children or the teacher. That teacher will move on but autistic children need continuity and for the teacher to know them. SEN training should be built into all teacher-training models if we are to have an inclusive education as we are supposed to have. I have come across teachers who had no interest in or knowledge of SEN. They did not want to know and would not even look at the SEN register in the school to identify students in the class with needs to be met. For that to be built into it, as well as CPD, would be important.