Mr. Michael O'Flanagan:

The Senator asked a question about moving forward. As a collective, organisations such as AsIAm are always willing to work with the key stakeholders in education. On her point regarding the bricks and mortar piece, having the wraparound service, such as that which AsIAm provides, is key. Families raise many issues in that regard with us. We hear about the bad things most of the time, but we also hear about the good practices that exist. Where such good practices are successful, they need to be replicated and modelled throughout the country. In the context of the system that is in place, we have the UNCRPD, the EPSEN Act - the fact that the Act has not been fully commenced is an indictment in and of itself and a reflection on the system - and the Education Act. Sections 2 and 7, respectively, refer to the inclusive education system, as does Article 24 of the UNCRPD. We have legislation that is there to be actioned but it should not fall to parents to action it. By virtue of this being an inclusive society, an inclusive education system should be a given, rather than it being a matter in respect of which a person has to make a case to a board of management or the Department of Education. The inclusive education model comes with two approaches, however. It comes within the culture within the school and the supports the child receives in school, but it also relates to services outside the school, services that are based within the community and provided by the HSE.

We were at a session in the Department yesterday. A representative from NEPS presented a fantastic picture of what the service looks like on paper. We know that the reality of what happens on the ground is very different. If NEPS - I know it is recruiting at the moment, and I welcome that - the HSE and the schools were able to provide the services, the experience would be very different. As I said, there are models, and there are schools that are doing it very well. This can be replicated if the resources are in place. If resources are taken out of the system, it will have an impact on young people.