Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has not answered the question and his reply is dangerously disengaged and disconnected. There are 548 special classes at primary level and 237 at post-primary level. There is also a big shortage at preschool level but I am concentrating on post-primary level. The Taoiseach said it is up to schools to decide but that is what I am asking him to end. It can no longer be left to individual schools to decide. At primary level, every single school got involved after 1998 when we brought in automatic entitlement at primary level for children with special needs. At post-primary level, only certain schools are working to take in children on the autistic spectrum. The rest of the schools are not engaging and the Department is not engaging with them. Everybody in this House knows that this is happening each year. It is appalling and scandalous that parents have no idea whether they will have a place next September. There is no need for this situation in light of all the work that has been done in the primary sector in the past decade and a half. Everybody should know who is coming through the primary sector and there should be proper assessments.

It really worries me that the Taoiseach did not really respond to my key point. There is some progress in the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill towards this end but the legislation needs to be strengthened dramatically. First, it should be strengthened to place an absolute requirement on a second-level school to accept a child in the locality who is on the autistic spectrum and who is recommended for such a placement.

Second, the national council should have the powers to engage proactively, to plan, map, organise and co-ordinate the provision of units-----

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