Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am very much concentrated on County Carlow, which I represent. I will outline some of the issues with which I deal. Many schools have been asked to create places for students within an ASD unit, yet there seems to be an issue with staffing and other resources.

The first issue concerns a parent who came in to me during the week. At the moment, her child cannot get a school place for September. The SENO has said to her that in a worst-case scenario, if the child does not get a place, the parent will have to get a home tutor, but she cannot get a home tutor because there are no home tutors. I have contacted all of the schools and I am working with her.

In Carlow, in the past year, we have had three SENOs. The first lady was there for years but she left, we then got a replacement but she is gone, and we are now onto another lady. I have sent several emails and looked for phone calls but I cannot get a meeting. I am requesting a meeting with the lady and although I am sure she will be very good at her job, I need to speak to her.

The biggest issue we have in Carlow-Kilkenny is trying to get children assessed. We cannot get any assessments. I know of families who are putting their child on a bus that might have to travel for nearly an hour to a unit, when SENOs are saying that unit is not needed and that the child can go to a unit even further away. It is not working. The system is failing. Children are waiting to go to primary school this year and I do not know what is going to happen. In the Carlow CDNT area, it is very hard to get assessments. While there is a speech and language therapy and occupational therapy, there are huge issues in trying to get staff. I understand that it is a staffing issue but, at the end of the day, early intervention is the key. If we do not have staff, we will have serious issues.

In recent weeks, I was with parents who were meeting the HSE in Kilkenny to try to get services for children who are seven or eight years of age and who have not had the services they need. They are going to school but because they have not been assessed, it is hard on the parents and on the child. Do the witnesses believe there is a crisis? Schools are waiting to get classrooms built and there are long delays. Families are fighting to get places in schools but they cannot get them. What do we need to do? I deal with parents daily and I really feel they are at breaking point. I know of one school in Carlow where a child needs to be assessed but they cannot get that assessment and it could cost up to €1,400 to get the child assessed, which is another issue in that getting a child assessed can cost between €1,200 and €1,400. The parents do not have it and the child cannot move on because he or she is not assessed.

What are we doing? Children are not getting the services they need. As someone who is dealing with parents daily, I wonder how I can go back to them again today just to say that I have met with the witnesses who are at the committee today, although I thank the them for their efforts. How are we going to sort out the issues for them? Can I tell a parent that their child will have a place in September or the child will be assessed and the parent will know if that child is going to a special class? I cannot tell them because I do not know.

I have nothing against home tutors, by the way, but where did we get the idea of telling people they might have to get a home tutor. A poor woman said to me that she does not know where to start. She is one of many across the country. Can the witnesses come up with some answers? Perhaps someone can make a request so I can meet the new SENO in Carlow. That is very important to me because but I have put out my arm a few times and it has not come back.