Mr. Teresa Maher:

He has just completed a three-year literacy course in Mater Dei Institute of Education. He graduated with the mainstream graduates last week. He has taken a year out because he has a health problem. Next year he will go to a FETAC 3 course. His passion is drama.

There is another problem when students go on, because they cannot get through the door. A student can go for an interview only to be told that the option is not suitable or that the organisation cannot support them without even asking for an assessment or report. The enrolment policies of FETAC level 5 and 6 courses are problematic. It is easier to get into college and undertake a third level degree than study a FETAC level 5 course. If someone goes to the vocational training opportunities scheme or back to education initiative there are no supports for people with special educational needs. A student cannot get an interpreter. Killian is deaf and his first language is Irish Sign Language. It is not possible to get an interpreter for the VTOS or BTEI programmes. There are many challenges and the challenges are there because no one has asked for change up to now. However, there is a cohort of students finishing secondary school now who are going to come asking for change. The transition planning needs to happen in fifth year in future.