Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter because it gives me the opportunity to outline to the House the Department's policy on providing furniture and equipment for special needs pupils in general and the present position with regard to a request for five therapy beds for pupils in Rosedale school, Galway. My Department provides funding for furniture and equipment that is required for educational purposes. However, the provision of therapeutic equipment has been and remains outside the remit of the Department. When requests for loose furniture and equipment are received, the school authority is requested to provide justification for the provision of such equipment. This justification often is provided by means of a child-specific report, on the basis of an assessment by the occupational therapist or a special education teacher. It is not always possible to distinguish between educational and therapeutic uses for equipment, as often one piece of equipment can fulfil both needs.

As for Rosedale school, my Department already has provided funding in excess of €104,000 for specialist furniture and equipment, €72,682 of which was approved this year. In July 2013, the school authorities submitted four applications for therapy beds and one application for a changing-therapy bed for five pupils, three of whom were starting in the school in September 2013 and two of whom already attended the school. All five applications were supported by the senior physiotherapist attached to the school and the letters of support outlined that all five pupils concerned required daily one-to-one physiotherapy. The senior physiotherapist also stated that to assist staff to carry out this programme, therapy beds were required. The letters of support also stated that plinths also could be used for day-to-day personal care.

The school authority was informed in September 2013 that its application for funding was refused as the type of equipment being sought was outside the scope of educational equipment funded by the Department. The school authorities submitted an appeal in respect of this decision and while it accepted that the plinths provided a place for essential therapy, they also would be used to provide a toileting facility. My Department advised the school authority again that the provision of therapy beds was outside the remit of the Department but that it was open to the school to submit applications for additional changing beds, which also would be suitable for toileting facilities. On 11 November, the school authority submitted an application for five changing benches. As the quotation submitted in support of this application was for the same therapy beds for which the original submission was made in July, the school authority again was advised to submit a quotation for changing benches. These applications and the three quotations were received last Monday and are being considered actively by the Department at present. I assure the Deputy that the school authority will be informed of the outcome in the very near future.

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