Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the amendment. We should be constructive when discussing Bills and amendments and we should speak to the amendment before us.

I could say a good deal about special education in general and about some teachers carrying out certain functions in that there is a belief they could perhaps require additional training and support. This is a welcome provision, however, and it is good to see the dimension of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units specifically included in the Bill. While there is always room for improvement and there is much we could say about that, we must acknowledge when a step has been taken and something good has been done. I believe in that approach in that there is no point in being critical if some good progress is being made.

While the mechanism involved is very detailed and I can understand what Deputy Thomas Byrne said about that, it could mean there will no room for mistakes, slippage or for the need to come back at another stage and say it is unworkable. It is a new mechanism and once it is bedded down and people are used to dealing with it, it may become an easier system and as it progresses there may be other ways around it in terms of simplifying it. Overall, it is welcome and good to see it included.

The Minister will be aware that I have raised several individual cases with him regarding the lack of availability of ASD units, particularly in Carlow-Kilkenny. A school will now be compelled to deal with that. This is partly related to a cultural and societal change. I know from my time in school that we never heard of any ASD units or certainly that was not an option for people. This will involve a change of mindset and we must acknowledge that we have to change the mindset of certain schools that simply regard this as a hassle. There is nothing else to say about it. They consider it is too much hassle and stress to go down the road of creating an ASD unit in their school. It is welcome that schools will be compelled to do this. There is always room for improvement. The quality of teaching in some ASD units could be examined but that is not necessarily relevant to this debate. I welcome this provision.

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