Ms Carmel Ryan:

I thank Deputy Buckley for that. Families are begging for a computer or a laptop. As Deputy Tully said, the SENO makes the decision on that a lot of the time. They may say that there are enough computers in the school or that you were given some last year or something like that. However, every child has different needs. Every child needs their own computer with their own programmes and their own apps that they like and that they can use. It should be a matter of individual technology and not a blanket decision for the school.

The other issue we have come across with technology is the question of who the laptop belongs to. Where does it go? When a child goes into secondary school, the primary school pulls it back and says it belongs to that school and then, you have to re-apply for something in secondary school. That iPad, for example, in Fiacre’s case, has all of the programmes that he has been using. It has his Grace app and it has his communication system on it. For him to go into secondary school and then have start again and beg for another laptop and try to get all the programmes on it, it is a funding issue and there probably should be proper guidelines. For example, you could get a laptop when you are diagnosed from the Department of Health. That could be upgraded when you go into primary school and upgraded again as is needed during that term. It could be upgraded again when you go into secondary school. Thereafter, if you go to university or to a post-leaving certificate, PLC, course you should be able to apply for something that is appropriate. It should not be a mountain you have to climb every time your child needs something but that is the way it is. Moreover, it does not and should not cost a huge amount. It is a matter of maybe one piece of equipment every two years.