Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses to the committee meeting and thank them for their opening statements. I am disappointed and sorry to hear that trust has broken down between them and the Department. As Dr. Brady said, they are not just from representative organisations but are speaking on behalf of children in schools. People sometimes regard representative organisations as entities unto themselves but it is important for us to recognise that the witnesses here because of who they are speaking on behalf of.

The only positive thing I would say is that even though trust has broken down, it can be rebuilt. I urge the Department and the Ministers to try to do what they can to rebuild that trust. I know the witnesses will not be left wanting in the efforts they make to rebuild trust and it can be rebuilt.

Perhaps I will start with Dr. Brady and Mr. Kelly. I was interested in what was said about the way in which children with Down's syndrome do not thrive educationally if their complex needs are not specifically addressed. How are the specific needs of a child with Down's syndrome addressed in, say, a national school to help the child to thrive educationally? What are the witnesses concerned may be missing as a result of the changes?