Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Deputy Thomas Byrne, for bringing forward this motion. This House must ensure that all children, particularly those with special needs, are provided with the supports and resources they need to reach their maximum potential because this motion is about each person reaching his or her maximum potential. We must acknowledge all the school principals, teachers, SNAs and others doing such wonderful work in this area. As my colleagues alluded to, one of the greatest problems is the assessment of need. There is a significant waiting time of more than two years for these assessments. There is another problem, namely the assessment of children starting school at primary level, going up to post-primary level or even moving within primary or post-primary classes, who need further assessments carried out as part of their development to ensure they get the proper supports and services. There is no alignment between the AONs and the school being able to make the application to the Department by the set date for the additional resources and supports because the assessment is sometimes not carried out until the child has started school or is halfway through the school year. When the child's need is then identified, he or she has lost valuable time. The child is the most vulnerable and he or she is falling behind because of this. It is much slower for the school to make the application and sometimes it is refused.

School principals and boards of management tell me that it would be good if that could be better aligned when they are make their applications in the first four or five months of the school year for the following school year. That is something that needs to be examined. There is a problem with the application process to the Department for additional supports and services for children with special needs coming into the school. That is mainly due to the AONs not being carried out in time and the lack of alignment between the assessments and the schools making their applications to the Department.

Special units need to be included in new builds at the planning and design stage in primary and post-primary schools, which does not happen all the time. As my colleague said, families and children have to travel long distances to special education units because they are none near them. That needs to be addressed.

We had a serious problem with the special intervention units in my constituency earlier this year. I thank the Minister for meeting the families involved and assisting us to overcome that issue but there needs to be a better system for the parents of the children to be listened to. That issue went on for more than eight months and it was unnecessary. They were not listened to and who was suffering but the most vulnerable people, namely the children involved. There has to be more accountability and responsibility given. People need to be made aware and they need to be made accountable for those units.

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