Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I reserve the right to return to this issue at some stage in the future when the Minister for Education and Skills can be present.

I must declare a personal interest in this issue on the provision of autism spectrum disorders units and special education units in post-primary schools throughout the country because I am the chairman of the board of management of a particular school which has been the subject of section 29 appeals in recent times. My experience is based on this and my constituency work through which, like the Minister of State, I see the variety of challenges which arise for parents of children with special educational needs as they seek placements at primary and post-primary level for their children.

Great progress has been made, particularly since the Sinnott case in 2000, in terms of provision at primary level. It would appear we are very slow to get around to making the necessary provision at post-primary level. Recently, I tabled a parliamentary question to the Minister for Education and Skills asking what strategic plan the Department has for the provision of second level places. I must say I was alarmed at the response because it indicated a complete lack of a strategic plan and a rather ad hocapproach to the provision, operating on the basis of responding to demand which might exist or arise from particular schools.

While many schools do superb work in making provision for children with special educational needs, it is also a reality that many schools will adopt the approach of letting this chalice pass from them and letting somebody else make the provision.

I was appalled to find that the NCSE, and through it the Department of Education and Skills, are not at all proactive in identifying schools in areas where such provision should be provided. I was appalled to discover the reality that special educational needs organisers often direct students to areas outside their catchment areas where provision has been made and is available. In the years ahead, the inevitable consequence of that will be that students will pass each other on the road as they travel away from their local communities, their siblings and the students they attended primary school with to access education.

This is neither practical nor sustainable. It is not good from an environmental point of view. It is certainly not good in terms of the educational well-being and the overall well-being of our students. The NCSE needs to be proactive in encouraging post-primary schools in significant centres of population to provide ASD units and other special education units. It needs to look at the areas where primary level provision has been made and ensure natural progression from primary level to post-primary level can be made. It should cease the simple ad hocapproach of directing students well out of their catchment areas to areas where availability may exist in the short term, but where the best interests of those students will not ultimately be served.

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