Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Tattan and Ms Griffin for that very informative presentation. I requested the list of schools from the Department and took the liberty of phoning a few of the principals yesterday. In general, they were pleased with the new approach, which they feel is more proactive and equitable. It allows them to make decisions themselves based on the best possible opportunities for the children in their schools and that is very welcome. I will invite questions from the members but first I will kick off with a few of my own. I will take three speakers at a time and then responses.

I have had an opportunity to look at some of the recommendations over the last few days. I noticed that one of them related to the provision of early childhood development specialists to support children and families from preschool to the transition to primary school, which is hugely important. I would like to hear the Department's views on the recommendation and about who would employ and pay these specialists. Preschool education is often seen as the Cinderella of the education system in terms of supports and resources. I would like to know what the thinking is in this regard.

I support the NCSE recommendation on the provision of multidisciplinary health supports to assist children with complex special needs but the reality is that very often children are on long waiting lists for speech and language and occupational therapy etc. Has the Department been in contact with the Department of Health or the HSE to come up with a multi-agency approach, which is vital, and a strategic plan to address this issue which continues to be a very serious problem for children with special needs?

Teacher education is hugely important. Speaking to teachers on the ground, I often find they are overwhelmed and do not feel they have adequate support or resources themselves in terms of their own education. I am very conscious of that. There is a centre in Middletown, County Armagh, which the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement visited and where the members saw absolute best practice and were very impressed. The then committee wrote to the Ministers for Education in Northern Ireland and in the Republic to ask that the pilot teacher training scheme be implemented generally. Has there been any contact in that regard? The possibility of visiting the Middletown centre is something this committee might consider. I wonder if the Department has plans to look at utilising the resources they have there?

I was taken aback to see in the policy advice document that resource teaching hours were sometimes given to teachers in post-primary schools purely because of spare capacity as distinct from there being any expertise in the area. I am concerned about how widespread the practice might be. Is there a system in place to monitor resource teachers' relevant training? I note the recommendation that there is a need to develop mandatory programmes for all special needs assistants. Is it the case that a significant number of special needs assistants working with children with autism do not have specialised training? Again, that is an issue of importance.

On a more general note, the Minister announced in June that 860 new special needs assistants would be appointed by the end of 2016, which is very welcome. However, there was an article in The Irish Timeson 9 October stating that almost 400 special needs assistants were waiting to be vetted by An Garda Síochána. If the Department is to implement these recommendations, which I welcome, how does it propose to rectify this situation? It will clearly delay the introduction of new staffing.

The NCSE has referred to the need within the existing model for a diagnosis to be made before resources can be provided and the inherent danger of unnecessarily labelling a child. Does the Department have any indicative figures of possible wrong diagnoses? I support the new model, in that it will stop that practice.

I have a fear that sometimes children are labelled incorrectly, perhaps to secure funding and resources. Are there any steps in place to deal with identifying children and reassessing a diagnosis?

There seems to be little joined-up thinking regarding the provision of post-school education and training or adult services for young adults with autism. These young adults will still need support, suitable training and work placements as a prerequisite to securing a decent future for themselves with viable options. I fully agree that this requires a multiagency approach. Do the Department and NCSE have any insights to determine how it could be progressed effectively?

I note the comment on the fact the NCSE is sometimes waiting for schools to develop special classes. I am very conscious of schools that have been in contact with the Department. They have the required number of students, that is, six, but their applications have been turned down by the Department on the basis that neighbouring schools have adequate provision. Having contacted these schools, I know they do not and instead have waiting lists. I am concerned about that issue, because my understanding is that the reality is different in my constituency. I visited a school last Monday in Coill Dubh in Kildare which has consistently looked for special classes over the past two or three years but has been refused.

I will now call on members. Deputy Daly was the first to indicate.