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

I thank all the representatives for their presentations; there is very little in them that I disagree with. This committee is focused on autism. What we need to do to ensure the inclusion of autistic children in education, and, as much as possible, in mainstream education.

That is, I would imagine, proving impossible because of the failure of the progressing disability model. How is that impacting on schools? Since the establishment of the children's disability network teams, about one third of them have been understaffed and are not functioning properly. If children are not assessed at an early age, they cannot be placed in appropriate educational facilities.

Mr. Clerkin mentioned having 24 months advanced knowledge. At primary level, you are talking about a child of three, because they usually go to school at five, but they are not being assessed at that age. We need to ensure that children are properly assessed, have ongoing assessments as they move through school and are put into the right place.

Our focus also needs to be on inclusive education. We want to see the minimum of children in special schools and special classes, and more in mainstream. Parents shudder when I talk of inclusive education. They are fearful of their child in a special school or class going into mainstream because resources and supports are not there. Have the witnesses had those conversations with the Department? Is there a move towards that?

The EPSEN Act was mentioned. It is being reviewed and we are told the review will be finished by the beginning of next year. Mr. Duffy mentioned that the medicalised model envisioned is no longer possible due to the unwillingness of the Department of Education to facilitate it. It should not be a medicalised model. We ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, so we should be talking about a rights-based model and making sure that education is inclusive for all of our children, especially autistic children.

Reference was made to the social inclusion model. Some people are not that positive about it. That model puts resources into schools but the therapists in the schools deal with, talk to and advise the teachers. They do not interact with the students. If it were possible to combine our failed children's disability network teams with the social inclusion model, but where the therapists interact with the children so the children do not have to leave school to get these therapies, it would make for a better model.

Children are not getting assessed or getting early intervention, so are not being the best version of themselves and will need more supports down the line. That is what we are seeing all the time. Students who do not get early intervention require more assistance the older they get. Have the witnesses had much interaction with the HSE on the progressing disability model or the Department on the social inclusion model? How should we address the shortfalls in assessment and supports in the community for the children in the school?