Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion brought forward by my colleague, Deputy Ó Laoghaire. The lockdown ended for most of us weeks ago. Lots of people have gone back to work, we can socialise again and some form of normality has returned. However, this is not the case for children who attend special education schools and their families, who are still in lockdown. For these children, school is a lifeline, social outlet and the place where they receive their much-needed support and their education. Children who attend special education facilities often have complex medical needs and disabilities and a one-size-fits-all solution will not work for them. The families of these children are at breaking point. They have struggled for months to look after their children, some of whom need full-time care and attention, while trying to work and look after their other children since schools closed in March. They have endured the heartache of having to watch their children regress in the past few months and to see them frustrated, confused and upset by their situation.

The summer provision plan proved to be a major disappointment for many families because the Government failed to plan for increased capacity, which meant many children could not be accommodated. The reopening plan provides very limited detail on special education facilities. It is vague and does not address the specific challenges in those schools. I am very concerned that it could lead to a situation where children with special educational needs are left behind. We need plans to deal with the unique orientation challenge that will face them when they return. We need a plan to deal with situations where children are too vulnerable to return to school for medical reasons. We need an additional, dedicated strategy for these schools to provide clarity on how they will reopen and stay open and to ensure no child is left behind. Will the Minister clarify whether she will publish a dedicated strategy for special education schools?

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