Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)

I thank everyone for their presentations. I have been receiving a lot of emails from school principals, parents and SNAs with concern about the review process. I have been asked if the Department will consider a review or suspension of it until proper consultation has taken place with the schools, SNAs and parents. The time limit of 15 September to 24 October is very short. Students will come into a school and there will be need throughout the year and that needs to be addressed.

Many schools I have talked to frequently look for more support. I acknowledge the increase in the number of SNAs and special classes and special schools but need is still not being met in schools. We still have a lot of schools which are looking for extra SNA access for students and it is being denied and they are really concerned. I have had two schools already this year with students with needs coming into junior infants and no extra SNA access was granted to them. They had to appeal that decision and they are trying to deal with the students in the meantime. It is just not fair on the students.

There is also concern about some of the issues about complex level 3 care needs. Many feel it will be based just on physical care needs and medical care needs but emotional need and children who need to regulate and have movement breaks are just as important. They cannot cope with a day without that support in school and it will end up, as we have had for years, with students basically dropping out of school or masking their behaviour and being very difficult at home. We need more support.

The need is not being met. Are allocations being restrained due to budget? We are just not basing allocation on the needs in our schools. There obviously is a budget restraint there and that is not fair on the students who are missing out on a vital education.