Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will try to be brief. I welcome the Minister of State. Is the Department of Education planning further investment for this year to reduce the average class size by one pupil to bring it closer to the European average? A reduction in general class sizes would assist the delivery of services for disabled and autistic children. Will the Minister of State update us on the in-school therapies programme? Are there plans for further investment in the programme and to recruit more speech and language therapists to meet the increased demand? Next year, there will be a need for an extra 200 SNAs, speech and language therapists, etc. Will the Minister of State update us on the provision of reasonable accommodation at school more generally? Are there plans to increase the provision of supports in mainstream classrooms? Are there plans for greater co-ordination with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth regarding proposed reforms to the summer education programme over the coming years to support autistic students further? Is the Minister of State aware that there is no board of management at the Our Lady of Hope School in Crumlin? It also has no behavioural therapist, which it will need next year.