Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

Last but not least. I welcome all the delegates. I apologise because the meeting is so compressed. I was one of the TDs who insisted we have a whole session on special education. We did not envisage the slots for the whole shebang would be squashed into four minutes. The NCSE is coming in separately, which it insisted upon.

Ms Cahill and Ms Meehan are heroic. I do not know how they get up in the morning, never mind come in here looking amazing, present in the way they have and advocate on others’ behalf. I am aware that they have been sleeping out as well as being on the inside. The State neglect of neurodivergent and disabled children has been criminal and it is only beginning to be addressed because of parents like them battling. The word “battling” comes up time and again. As a teacher, I am aware that Ms Cahill and Ms Meehan have educated teachers big-time. Teachers are playing catch up with them.

I am really struggling to compress the questions I wanted to ask because I wanted to ask about both primary and secondary levels. I will concentrate on parental exclusion, because that was mentioned, and also the modern understanding of disability and inclusion. Even at meetings of this committee, "ASD" is a term that people do not really want to use anymore. It is being used in many documents today, so I think we should all take that position on board. What do the delegates believe is the most important way in which parents could be included?

I was a secondary teacher. We know all about the fall that happens after primary level, where there is at least some provision. Suddenly in secondary school, children are not meant to be autistic any longer. I taught English classes of 30 pupils and could see immediately five or six students with neurodivergence issues in each. I noticed in the presentation on secondary level that the associated number was lower than at primary level. It was stated that 5% were autistic at primary level and that one in 65 was at secondary level. That is an important difference. Is there less recognition at secondary school? How do Ms Cahill and Ms Meehan think parents can be included more?