Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)

We have spoken about early intervention being key, which it is. The previous Minister of State with responsibility for special education, Deputy Naughton, talked about better communication between preschools, early intervention classes and primary schools. Is that happening? Preschools have immense amounts of information that would be useful to primary schools, if passed on. Parents also tell me it is extremely difficult to find an early intervention class for their child. One parent told me their child was in a regular preschool and was not coping at all. Then they got the child into an early intervention class and the child came on in leaps and bounds. We should increase the number of early intervention classes. Children do not get the supports they need in the community and when they go into school they are not coping with school and learning. Staff find it difficult to cope as well.