Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are being told that the NCSE has the data and knows the children and their needs. If that is the case, why are we here relaying the concerns of parents and young people in the month of June? The reality is that the NCSE was aware of children's needs, but failed to put in place a strategy to deal with the situation. If it can do this year after year, why should parents and students believe that next year or the year after that will be any different?

I know we all have the statistics, but I think it is worth repeating them. In Dublin 15, there are currently 30 autism classes in primary schools, which cater for a maximum of 180 students. There are nine autism classes in secondary schools, with a maximum of 54 places. As I stated on Tuesday, despite the promise of the immediate allocation of 22 school places, only one has been provided so far. Looking forward, are we going to have the same outrage from parents who cannot access places in the 2023 school intake process? In Dublin 15, only 20% of students who are currently in third, fourth and fifth classes will have a place available to them. If the NCSE has that information, it must tell the parents of those students how they will be facilitated. We know that many students do not leave special classes. The 22 places that have been promised will be locked in for a number of years. If there is to be a new stream of special needs classes for each year, parents must be informed. They must be given that clarification now.

Danu Community Special School, the special school for Dublin 15, only opened recently but is already at full capacity. The school has stated that it will not be open to new enrolments for at least five years. From 2022 to 2025, there will be over 35 children who will need a secondary school place. Where are those children to go? As Deputy Andrews mentioned, they will be taxied to other schools, or they will be lost to the school system. They will not have a place, and unfortunately, will not get the education they deserve. I ask the Minister of State to provide a full-time behavioural therapist for Danu Community Special School. The school has been pleading for the provision of such a therapist since it opened and moved to the new complex in Rath Dara. I also ask the Minister of State to provide a multidisciplinary team, even on a cluster school basis, to support teachers and students to enable them to attain the highest level of education that we can provide.

I want to raise the issue of the bizarre nature of the assignment of SNAs. I ask that we stop the nonsensical practice of schools having to reapply for an SNA at post-primary level when a child has had an SNA all throughout his or her primary education. If a child needs an SNA in primary school, why does he or she have to go through the process of applying for an SNA at secondary level? I genuinely believe that in future, a Minister will be sitting where the Minister of State is sitting now apologising on behalf of the State for the failure of previous Ministers to provide an appropriate education for children with special educational needs.

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