Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hear that the NCSE is committed, that progress has been made and that schools will receive the professional supports as soon as is practical, but I also think about the fact the July provision is voluntary. If teachers, SNAs and schools are being obliged to provide places, which is absolutely right - and every child deserves to be educated as close to their own home as possible and have their needs addressed - but if the supports are not going in for the teachers, then it is less likely they will volunteer for the July provision. I take Deputy Cairns’ point that the July provision should be mandatory and that other resources should be used to make sure we provide that.

I am concerned that schools would be obliged to find that support for their staff, especially in managing challenging behaviours. I do not want to overemphasise that because many challenging behaviours arise where children are manifesting the strangeness of their environment. That is sometimes a vicious circle in that the staff around them are not equipped to cope with their needs and, consequently, the children are more anxious, which leads to children being sent home or having a reduced provision. It is a nasty cycle that needs to be arrested as a matter of urgency.