Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Provision for children with special educational needs is vitally important. These needs present themselves in a variety different forms. There is also a range of needs, from those who have specific learning difficulties to those who are exceptionally able and need to be challenged in different ways. Thousands of people work on a daily basis with those who have these special educational needs and we should recognise and appreciate the importance of this work. In school settings we have special needs assistants, special education teachers and other resources as necessary. In addition to the school supports, there are specialists who are responsible for the identification of these needs.

Recently, I have heard a number of stories where short-sighted policy decisions left children going through our education system with their needs unmet. One example is the reduction in SNA provision back in 2011, during the education cutbacks. I heard recently from one parent, Jane Johnstone, about the major impact this had on her son who has complex needs. Once the SNA was removed from this boy's daily education, his progression in education stopped. This has resulted in an even greater cost to the State in the long run as he now turns 18. Jane also highlighted the constant battle for provisions and resources he has had to endure. Rather than putting in place long-term support plans, too many parents are left anxiously waiting each summer to discover whether their child will have the resources they need for the next school year, with funding only being decided in September. We must not underestimate the importance of the support given to those who need it most and must create long-term sustainable plans.

I understand the Department allocated extra resources on a temporary basis to schools to help bridge some deficits as a result of the Covid-19 policies. I do not think the full harsh reality of the lockdown policies' impact on education has been fully realised. Closing schools and banning children from even socialising has had serious consequences. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of students who went without vital special education supports for the best part of 18 months. The Government needs to ensure any extra temporary supports that were made available to schools are extended to help bridge the gaps that were created between 2020 and 2021.

The issue of allocations was raised with me by the principal of a school in Wexford. This school has 700 pupils on campus but a recent NCSE allocation gave it a rating of zero complex hours for the junior and senior schools. Previously, the senior school had 35 hours and the junior school 25. The SENO and the local disability network manager agree this was a mistake but the school cannot seem to get anyone to rectify the situation. The principal was told the Department of Education receives all relevant data from the local disability network manager and the information was not passed on in a timely manner. The local disability network manager said they did not have accurate information to send the Department. Yet, they had accurate information about every other school in south County Wexford. The local disability network manager agrees that the rating is a mistake and needs fixing. The special education needs organiser said SENOs do not have any role in giving other information to the Department but they also agree that the zero complex needs rating is a mistake and needs fixing. A member of the Department of Education's special education section has stated that the school received a zero rating from the local disability network. He agreed that it seemed unusual that the two DEIS urban band 1 schools would have a zero complex needs rating. The principal asked him to input the correct number but the official said the computer would not let him do it. He said this was the only school in Ireland with this problem, out of 4,000, but he was not in a position to assist. There are 130 teachers set aside to give schools that appeal their allocation and he recommended that the school apply for an exceptional review. He said the NCSE would prioritise the review. The principal pointed out that the schools did not make any mistake but were being lumped with an exceptional review that will take an age to prepare for. He also suggested that the Department give the schools two teachers until the review was completed but he could not do that either. The official agrees that the zero rating is a mistake and needs fixing but he cannot fix it, even though he is in the Department of Education.

In other words, the principal of a school was dealing with special education support teams and three officials have admitted a mistake was made, yet it seems nobody can sort it out. The school is now expected to go through the rigmarole of an appeal or review system, which involves a lot of work on its behalf, to fix a mistake not of its making. I hope the Minister of State can intervene in the matter. I have given her Department the full details with the names attached. This is the type of problem that should be possible to solve with the stroke of a pen rather than allowing it to drag on.

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