Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise. I was in the Seanad for votes. I am sorry that I missed the presentations and have come late. I want to say that Dr. Banks that 40 years ago this year, that young man over there, Dr. Travers, and I entered the school of education in Trinity College Dublin and are proud graduates of it. He has done very well for himself. He was not very promising at the start of that. It is great to see Joe here.

Forgive me if this ground has been covered, because I was not here. I want to pick up on Dr. Travers' points about complex needs being withdrawn as criteria. My best guess is that the data that would be required to fill in the blanks for the complex needs criteria would, if we had a functional system, be supplied by the CDNTs, but they are in absolute chaos. They practically do not exist and are in failure. I suspect that is the case.

In trying to recruit for the CDNTs and to reorganise them, I understand that dedicated therapists were withdrawn from schools. These were necessary scaffolding and supports for children to be able to be included in the educational system. Has that had a negative or positive impact on supporting inclusive education?

My second question is on the remark Deputy Feighan made about Ms Byrne's fight to get to third level education. My son aged 22, who has complex needs, attends third level, but that involved a huge fight. He applied for his course through the CAO in 2019, was awarded his course through the CAO but then was told by the Higher Education Authority that his course supports would not follow him into third level because the college, Dublin Business School, was a private college. So, his need was reviewed based on the funding model of an institution that had nothing to do with his needs. We had a huge fight on our hands and what should have been a very joyous and happy occasion turned into a major battle. It comes back to the issue that we are always begging for things and it does not seem to be rights based. My question is a philosophical one. Why are Departments like the Department of further and higher education and the Department of Education so resistant and hostile to the needs of people who are different? There seems to be a universal resistance to vindicating the rights of people in our community. Why is that?

Difficulties over the lack of consultation were mentioned. Is it because of some sort of cultural lens through which they view people or is it simply down to a reluctance to spend money? I again thank the witnesses for being here.