Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before I speak on this Stage of the Bill, as we are coming up to the end of the Dáil term and as I therefore might not have the chance to address issues regarding special education again, I want to remind everyone here that we are not really discussing process, procedure or provision here. We are talking about our children and, more specifically, children with special educational needs and their right under the Constitution to an appropriate education. They are citizens of our State. I will also mention their parents who are, in a great many cases, exasperated, exhausted and despairing of ever getting a proper school place suited to their child’s needs. They feel they are hidden within the numbers and statistics. A place is not sufficient for children with special educational needs. They need a place that is appropriate.

I thank my colleague, Deputy Ó Laoghaire, for meeting with parents in my constituency of Kildare North a couple of weeks ago. One of those mothers who has had to assert herself and go into battle against the State to vindicate her child's right to an education put it to me that she feels we are going backwards instead of forward. She said it feels as though the State is trying to hide our children with special education and segregate them in centres, as was proposed, instead of giving them their chance and their right to an appropriate class place. She spoke about her child standing at the door with her while the child's siblings went off to their ordinary school. We all have photographs of our children's first day at school. All these parents want is to be able to get that photograph of their child with special educational needs heading off to school with their school bag and lunch box just like every other child.

This is where we are, which is why the Government simply must do what my colleague, an Teachta Ó Laoghaire, has been looking for and work with the NCSE to make sure parents are not left waiting until the eleventh hour to find out if their child will get a place. The shortfall for 2023 has to be looked at and addressed now. Section 67 of the Education Act 1998 must also be amended to allow the NCSE to designate a school place for children. We can all imagine how this would benefit those parents who are hard-pressed and very worried about this issue.

The insertion of section 37A into the 1998 Act is welcome but leaving it this late is less than satisfactory. As we all know, and as parents know, it is an arduous process. It is time-consuming and involves a lot of collaboration and deep consideration. I regret we are at this stage with the Bill and with regard to the range of services and specialties required, whether therapists, SNAs or the children’s disability network teams. For some of them, almost a third of posts are still unfilled. I welcome that both the Minister and the Minister of State have stayed for the debate. Let us make sure we are not back at this stage again next year.

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