Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for facilitating the discussion of this important local issue, which is also relevant for schools across the country. The news last night that the early intervention class in Kilbrittain National School will not close is very welcome. I cannot emphasise that enough. It is down to the dedicated parents and staff who understand the value of early intervention autism spectrum disorder classes. They are essential classes for children aged three to five. However, this case also reveals a worrying dimension to special needs education. First, the entire situation in Kilbrittain was of the National Council for Special Education's making. It closed the class, leading to additional stress for parents and disruption to school life, as well as taking up time that the principal and staff could otherwise have spent with students. It is now clear that the NCSE can, without engagement, just remove a vital service. The need for the class in Kilbrittain was never in doubt. The school had the staff, space and students enrolled. Nonetheless, a vital service for children with additional needs can be removed just like that. If the NCSE had engaged with the school in the first place, all of this would have been avoided.

Second, and most worryingly, it appears that Kilbrittain is not an isolated case. Indications from the NCSE reveal an agenda to potentially phase out early intervention classes in favour of the access and inclusion model, AIM. AIM is a welcome development, but it cannot in any way replace early intervention classes. The NCSE has repeatedly refused to clarify whether or not this is its policy. It has mostly ignored the question, but when it was pressed in a public meeting, it stated it did not want to comment and that it is waiting for the finding of an AIM report, which would lead us to worry or believe that this is being seriously considered or, worryingly, it has already been decided, and that it is potentially pre-judging the findings of that report, with Kilbrittain being the first casualty. Will the Minister assure us that they will not be phased out and replaced with AIM and explain why the NCSE does not liaise with schools before making decisions?

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