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

I would like to clarify that no school will lose out. No school will see a child with complex needs lose any of his or her support. No diagnostic tests are required by the parents described by the Deputy to get supports from schools for the learning needs of their children. As the allocations are front-loaded, the big financial barrier that was in the way of parents is being removed. The Deputy has raised the issue of schools' admission policies. We will look at such matters in the context of the new admissions process we are introducing, which will give the NCSE the power to require schools to accept children with special educational needs. Schools will not be allowed to refuse children in these circumstances. As I said in my initial reply, if a school's new enrolment exhibits a far greater level of special need than the level among the children who are already in the school, the NCSE will be able to examine that issue upon the demonstration by such a school of a substantial increase in the level of special need among the new cohort.

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