Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I briefly spoke with the Minister in respect of autism classes. I can think of two schools in my county, and there are many examples throughout the country. I respect it is more in the jurisdiction of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan. Ballycar National School and Kilmihil National School are in east and west Clare but could be anywhere. Both aspire to open ASD classes. An ASD class takes in six students and there is a teacher and an SNA. They are wonderful and have been transformative. I say that as a teacher and someone with a special needs person in my family. They have been incredible.

One problem is that the NCSE insists the class of six must be filled before any consideration can be given to additional ASD classes in the general locality. The two schools I mentioned are being told they cannot open new classes because there is a bit of capacity here or there over the road. That might make sense on one level but the NCSE is ruling out new ASD classes and insisting ones with remaining spaces at desks be filled. The problem that arises is children are being sent crisscrossing all over the county. There are children from Limerick city coming into north County Clare, driving 40 minutes to get to an ASD class when there are others nearby. Then there is the scenario where a child is trying to enrol in junior infants in September with an autism diagnosis. The child cannot attend the local ASD class because it is fill and over the road will not open one.

There needs to be flexibility. If an ASD class gets to four, surely that is reason to conclude it will probably get to six the following year. Flexibility is there in some scenarios but not in others. Too much say has been given to SENOs on what units need to fill and what classes can remain. I would love to see the Department get a grip on that.