Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that there will be no sense in which the value of expert assistance or referrals will be downgraded. These factors will continue to be valued in the assessment. However, we will remove the requirement to have a diagnosis carried out to identify that a child has an educational need and in calculating what that need will be. We will ensure each child is supported. The current system which dates from 1993 takes a rigid input and output approach, with a diagnosis on one side and resources on the other. It does not focus specifically on educational needs and takes a very limited approach. The new model will focus much more on educational need and how schools can best cope with it. Parents will not be advised against obtaining referrals and referrals will be examined. However, they will not be the primary or only basis on which to deal with a child with a special need. While we will remove the requirement to have an assessment made, this should not prevent parents, the National Educational Psychological Service or another entity from taking the view that an assessment would help in an individual case.

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