Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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We hope to have a second round of questions. It looks like we will have additional time. I am next. I have some specific questions. First, I will take up from where Senator Nelson Murray left off. Last night, I was interviewed in a Zoom meeting by a journalism student who was talking about the cliff edge that children with disabilities face in senior cycle. I am not going to talk about State examinations because that was, to a large degree, covered last week. Since Covid, everything has been geared around leaving certificate reform, destressing the whole environment and not having a cliff edge examination but spreading it out a little and reapportioning how some of the grading is done. The student made a point that made me think. We are seeing more students with disabilities going through mainstream schooling, which is the right route if it can cater for their needs. There is little transitioning involved at senior cycle so they too are brought through the funnel of State examinations. There is no module of transitioning done on what their options may be thereafter. Some of them may be going straight into the workplace. Some may have an apprenticeship pathway ahead of them. Some may go on to college. Some may be unable to work and will have to go onto a disability payment, to a day service or whatever else. There is no module catering for any of that. From what I can see, there is no module within career guidance or elsewhere to gear people in that respect. We are still gearing people towards careers, college and apprenticeships, and there is very little for someone who does not have all of that fully pieced together.

The same is true for parents. I have dealt with parents of 17- and 18-year-olds with disabilities who do not realise the supports available to their children when they leave the secondary school system. Could the representatives of the Department of Education and Youth comment on that? It is more of a Department question.