Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The officials are welcome to the committee. I recognise some of the faces from my two years of being on the committee. I love this committee because of the cross-party support, but also because I do not think any member of the committee sees people with disabilities as "them". We really are about change.

From some of the questions I am hearing around the table, many of the Senators and Deputies are very being honest about their experience on the ground. That is not to run down the Department in any way, shape or form but to talk about an old-fashioned system that unfortunately, in some cases, still exists. We are all trying our best collectively to change that and that is very welcome. What really struck me from listening to the presentations and to some of the answers given to members is that we are talking about poverty, people on the margins of society and also about the best outcomes for people with disabilities in the context of the budget given this year. We do not know how the budget was spent last year, where that money was drawn down. If we take SNAs or special classes, how much was spent? The officials may not have that today, but if we could get it we would very much appreciate it. With this committee, I always look through the lens of being a member of the Traveller community and bringing that in.

The two areas are obviously different but when you are from a minority group and treated as an other, you have a similar experience. Three weeks ago, a report was produced on reduced timetables for children from the Traveller community in special schools. Twenty-four percent of children from the Traveller community were put on reduced timetables in special schools. Considering that we are also talking about behaviour this evening, my reading of the report suggests many children from the Traveller community are put on reduced timetables because they are regarded as bold or misbehaving. To me, that form of punishment should be long gone. It punishes the parents as well. I am still waiting for the Minister, Deputy Foley, to get back to me about a meeting on this. My focus for today's purposes is the 24% of Traveller children in special schools who are being put on reduced timetables.

From our conversation today, I note schools are seeking to recruit 50 counsellors. I mean no disrespect to the departmental officials in front of us in referring to our mental health services being unable to provide the 50 counsellors. I do not see this in mainstream schools. What are the latest figures? Where are the counsellors? Are there 50 qualified to go to the schools? From my experience over the past year and a half on both the education committee and this committee, whose remits overlap a lot, I believe we have major issues with mental health services in schools and getting mental health support for students. I am interested in hearing the guests' views on that.

Consider the support that a home–school liaison officer could give parents with children with additional needs. The Children's Rights Alliance, in its budget submission, was seeking an increase in the number of home–school liaison officers to support parents at home.

Full inclusion in our education system is nowhere to be seen. Where do we see people with special or additional needs on boards of management? Where are the parents of children with special needs asked to be on boards of management? I do not see this. The delegates may have a different opinion on this or different stories. That is absolutely brilliant; I would welcome them.

Three weeks ago, I spoke to a woman in Ardara, County Donegal, whose child has bad dyslexia. She is looking for a special needs assistant. Additional supports for special needs assistants in rural schools are not evident on the ground. I mean no disrespect to the officials attending this meeting in saying that although I have written to the Department on behalf of the woman so her child can get additional supports, unfortunately I have not even got a reply. I wrote in the middle of September. The woman is just looking for a little extra special needs assistance. Why are we not recognising and valuing our special needs assistants in the education system, including in special education?

I have not really put a question but am making comments on the basis of having listened to what the delegates have said. I apologise if I come across as a little bit hard but, to me, appropriate, genuine inclusion is having people with disabilities on boards of management and having schools that are fit for purpose, even in respect of how they are built and the services put in place. I thank the delegates for coming in. As always, they give us great information that we can bring to the Ministers and use as ammunition when we need it in our work and that of the committee.