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

I will focus on education. When can we expect the right to education to finally become a universal right for all children, including children with additional needs and children on the autism spectrum? We know there are long waiting lists for diagnosis. This means children are being left behind. Obviously, this has a major impact on their education. I would like to mention a particular case in Thomastown, which is in my constituency, as a living example of what we are talking about. A young girl who has been diagnosed with autism is being treated extremely badly by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. She was supposed to start primary school in September 2018, but due to her diagnosis and the non-availability of school places, she will be unable to do so until September 2019. The Department has said that she is not entitled to any more years under the early childhood care and education scheme because the two years to which she is entitled under the scheme have elapsed. I understand it is possible for over-age exemptions to be made under the scheme, but the Department seems to believe she does not qualify. This means she is being as a second-class citizen. Why is her right to education being affected simply because she has autism?

I will send the details of the case to the Minister of State and ask him to deal with it.

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