Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Okay. I will respond on transitions in the first instance, as I have it in my head. We are running a couple of pilots on transitions at the moment. They are being run in Dublin and Galway. We are moving into the post-primary schools, working with the students to inform them of the opportunities that they will have in further education or whatever other options they might choose to take up. It is not that the facilities or opportunities - and there is always a need for more - are not there, in the main. One of the real stumbling blocks is that people do not know that they are there. Two different types of pilot are being run out in order that we can garner enough information to see how best we can support lifelong learning and transition from one stage to the next. They are very good pilots. As I have said, they are bring run in Galway and Dublin.

On assistive technology, I should mention that in the last budget we provided more than €2 million in additional funding for that sphere. We are continuously building it up. There is a very strong body of work on the provision for parents to apply for that earlier. Ms Mannion has referenced the fact that we have engaged directly with the post-primary schools, telling them what their obligation is in terms of making special provision. We also have the GIS in place and the SENOs on the ground, who are forward-thinking and engaging in advance. I am very happy to look at any other model. If it is a model where there is an application, I am happy to look at it, proof it out, discuss it and see what way we could implement it. I am happy to look at anything that we might be able to do in that regard.

The other thing is that the new legislation that has come into force provides for a specific function to ensure there is co-ordination between the NCSE, via the SENOs, and co-operation with the parents on the ground. That is an obligation. That is why have increased, and will continue to increase, the provision of SENOs on the ground. We are open to looking at everything. I think the increase of SENOs on the ground will be a substantial boost to us going forward.