Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I, too, thank the Minister. I contacted her recently and I am aware she is trying to do her best with a system we probably need to look at more. My own experience is that children with disabilities are not fully seen or heard and that the provision of services varies depending on a child's disability, their age, where they go to school or where they live. I always say no matter what part of the country you live in, be it Carlow, Kilkenny or Donegal, you have the same entitlements.

I will give the Minister an example from a school near me, namely, Holy Angels. I thank the Minister because she visited the school and is very much aware of it. The school is getting its new build, so this is a good news story. Holy Angels has discharged 14 pupils, but out of this group, seven are waiting for differential aptitude test assessments. Without the assessment, the child will end up in a mainstream classroom without any additional supports. Some of these children have already lost out on ASD preschool placements because they have not had their assessments to date. There are six children who require placement in St. Laserian's Special School in Carlow, which is an excellent school, or maybe in special classes within the locality, but, again, without educational assessments, they will not get placements. As a result, these children will also end up in mainstream education.

The Minister is aware of this and is working on it. It is important. I have been working with the parents in order that we get as many assessments done as soon as possible. Before Covid, things totally changed but all students in a place called New Brunswick in Canada are educated together in their local school. Every child, whether they are able or disabled, with complex needs, are talented students, thriving students or disadvantaged students, all study together. They all learn together with their own tailored experience. In 2019, the NCSE spoke about this idea. To fully include all students it suggested looking at this model. I understand that since the suggestion came in late 2019 we have had the coronavirus and we have lost a lot of ground but is this a model the Minister is looking at? She might come back to me on that.

I have another question on a matter one or two parents have contacted me about. Has the Department had any engagement with the State Examinations Commission to ensure reasonable accommodation be made at State examinations for students with epilepsy who experience a seizure during the exam. Families have been telling me epilepsy should be included as a serious health condition so an enormous burden is not placed on a student to prove they have had a seizure. I am aware the State Examinations Commission rules stipulate that while candidates who experience a serious medical condition are entitled to sit deferred exams, this does not apply to those who have commenced an exam. The same issue arises for those who experience seizures. Is the Minister looking at this?

I met a group of parents earlier. They spoke about the summer experience of children attending special school. It was about the July provision or the lack of it. As the Minister knows, it is probably one of the best programmes for children who need routine and their parents. It is hugely beneficial to the children and the parents. I am wondering what the update is on that. I must give the Minister this book. There are many stories in it from parents who have been affected because their children's school did not do the July provision this year, so I want to ask her about that too.

This is my final point. The Minister is very much for inclusion and that is part of our ethos going forward. It is great students sitting State examinations get their papers in both Irish and English. This is welcome, but we now have Syrian, Ukrainian and Lithuanian students here. English is not their first language. Would the Minister consider having papers available in those languages as well as in English and Irish in the 2023 exams? I would appreciate it if she could come back to me with some answers on these.