Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their input. They mentioned the EPSEN Act, which is currently under review. Part of the review covers expulsions, suspensions, the use of reduced timetables and restraint and seclusion practices in educational settings. I am curious about expulsions and suspensions in cases where a child develops even more behavioural problems, then we find that the school is threatening to put them out or is asking them to go somewhere else. Is there not some sort of a rapid assessment that could be done if that child has not been properly assessed? Is there some quick way of getting that child assessed, instead of forcing the parent to go looking for another place or another school, even a special school? That could help in the situation.

The witnesses mentioned mainstream education. Obviously, the vast majority of children with disabilities are in mainstream education. I am curious about the home tuition grant scheme as an interim measure, where children are unable to attend school. Is there any indication of how many children are involved in the scheme or are accessing it in some way? Is there a provision for special help for them? How are applications for home tuition assessed? I am sure some families have a thing about their kids going into mainstream education and have an objection to it, as it were. I am curious as to how that is assessed and approved. Are we recruiting people to do those assessments? Is this part of the recruitment to get more people to assess children's needs when in different areas, in particular in cases where they are troublesome or have behavioural problems. Are we recruiting more people to address that?