Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Burton, but what people with children with autism or an ill or sick child with special needs do not want to hear is that €1.5 billion is being allowed for special needs education. What they want is a place for their child who they love and cherish. We all love these very special children. The Taoiseach stated that the special educational needs officers will help. They are doing their best but they cannot coerce the schools or make them take these children. This is an important issue.

The Taoiseach mentioned the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which we have examined, and I hope the Minister will engage positively with the tabled amendments to try to strengthen the Bill so that schools will be obliged to take children who have received a diagnosis. Many parents paid huge sums of money to get a private diagnosis because they were waiting in the system for years and schools miss the most vital areas. We all know early intervention and diagnosis is vital. I appeal to the Taoiseach and his Cabinet, particularly the Minister for Education and Skills, to meet these people. We have tabled some amendments and I appeal to the Minister to accept them and not to vote them down. This is a big problem not only in Clonmel and Tipperary but throughout the country. Schools for some reason are not engaging. They have many good reasons and I am not saying they should but we must make it more necessary and oblige them to take children with this diagnosis. These children cannot go to pre-school and end up with no national schooling. It beggars belief.

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