Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Private Members’ motion relates to national schools providing appropriate places for children in our educational system and I agree with it. Why is there no joined-up thinking between Departments? I have asked this question previously. The Departments of Education and Health must talk to each other.

We require a needs-based system for children with special needs. The delays in diagnosis are crazy. When parents of children with special needs look for places in the educational system schools will not give places to children without a diagnosis from a health professional. The educators say they need to provide appropriate care relative to the disability of the child. Waiting times for assessments are extraordinary, with huge delays. The health service states there is no requirement for a formal assessment in order to get a school place, yet children are being refused school places because they have no official diagnosis. Therein lies the difficulty. On one hand, the education sector states that a child needs a diagnosis while, on the other, the health sector states that a diagnosis is not needed. Will the Minister please talk to the Department of Health to see whether we can find a resolution to move forward. The failure of the two Departments to talk to each other is causing delays for children seeking to secure a place in school. It is not rocket science for people to talk to each other, or for two Departments to talk to each other, to find a way forward to meet the genuine care needs of children. Will the Minister talk to the Department of Health? Will the Department of Health talk to the Minister and come up with a system to work together for the betterment of these children?

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