Ms Eileen O'Rourke:

Apologies for being late; my connection let me down today. I represent NAMBSE, which represents the boards of management of special schools and mainstream schools with special classes all over the country. Our schools work with and support students with SEN from the ages of four to 18. These children may have mild, moderate, severe and profound disabilities. They may have autism, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and also complex medical needs. The access to education and the well-being of our pupils is, as always, the central consideration of our boards of management. Section 62(10)(b) of the Act, if applied to enrolment in special schools and special classes in mainstream schools, would be contrary to the centrality of the child's specific needs in the enrolment process. Therefore, NABMSE supports the removal of this paragraph from the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill.