Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State. We will now proceed to questions from members. It just so happens I am front of the queue on the roster today. At our next meeting, I will be the last contributor. It is a fair process. There are six minutes per speaker. As at the last meeting, there might be an overrun of 20 or 30 seconds - but no more - to keep things flowing. I advise members to give adequate time if they want responses from the Minister of State. I thank him for his engagement. I wish him the best in his portfolio. I note he has visited many constituencies and schools, which is important. No Minister or Minister of State in the Department of education can truly understand the sector unless they go out to meet children and those who work with them. I thank him for his engagement in that regard.

Circular 0039/2025, came from the Department in mid-May, I think, relating to children with additional needs having those needs met in mainstream education. I wish to mention a few points. When the Minister of State visited a school in County Clare, this would have come up with staff there. While I get the spirit of the circular, there is a concern among teachers and SNAs who work in special schools catering for mild and general learning disabilities that it could insinuate that all children can have their needs met in mainstream. I will make a few points which were made to me by a teacher who has specialised in special education for her entire career. Even in a mainstream school environment with SET supports and an SNA sitting beside the child and in the yard beside with the child during the day, there are still some parts of the mainstream system that may be inadequate to meet that child's needs. These include therapeutic supports and all the nurturing that child needs specifically on a one-to-one basis during the day. That circular and some of the dialogue around this matter has mentioned complex needs. Schools and parents of children with mild general learning disabilities ask that the Minister and Department provide clarity on what they see as complex needs.