Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On numerous occasions, I have raised the availability of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, classes and the challenges faced by parents in accessing those classes for their children. In my county of Tipperary, Carrick-on-Suir is one of the areas that has been the focus of my concern since I was elected to this House. For many years, parents have been faced with uncertainty at the start of each school year. I have no doubt the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, is faced with this issue in her office, as is every Deputy in the Chamber. There is great uncertainty for parents of children with special needs, who are given only a couple of months to organise something for the coming year.

We see the exact same thing every year. Each year, we are faced with claims that there is no issue with the resourcing of ASD classes. We are given the old line that the current demand appears to be met by the currently established classes in surrounding areas. I assure the Minister of State that Carrick-on-Suir is not the only area in which people face these concerns. Parents are tearing the hair out of their head with worry about whether their children will get a place and, if they do, where it will be. Some have been told to keep their child back for another year in preschool. I know of a family in Tipperary town facing similar problems. The parents in that case have contacted school after school but have not been successful in finding a place for their child.

There is a serious issue with how the provision of ASD classes is organised and rolled out. For parents of neurotypical children, they know years in advance where their child will go to school. For the families of children with special and exceptional needs, however, no such plans can be made. Many such parents are left without any certainty only a matter of months before a place is needed. This issue needs to be addressed at this stage. I appreciate there is increased demand on the Department and planning is needed. However, planning for provision for children with special and exceptional needs should not involve the level of uncertainty being experienced by families. Clarity should be provided to them way in advance, not just a couple of months before the start of the school year.

I am often told I should contact the NCSE regarding the provision of classes for children with special needs. It is my duty to let the Minister of State know that the NCSE can be difficult to contact at times. Sometimes the council will point parents to classes that do not even exist. People rarely find themselves speaking to the same person twice, which is part of the problem. As I said, I appreciate the Department is under pressure. However, that it is nothing compared with the pressure these parents are under every year. I urge her to review the way in which this matter is approached and to design a system that has children and their parents at its centre, rather than inflicting panic on families every year.

As I said, I have been pursuing the issue of the provision of spaces in Carrick-on-Suir. Last week, I received a reply to a parliamentary question informing me that the Gaelscoil in the town is scheduled to open a new ASD class. I am told this class is planned to open for the 2023-24 school year and is expected to provide an additional six places in the area. This is great news for Carrick-on-Suir and Tipperary. Will the Minister of State confirm this will be done? Will she tell the parents in the area who need these spaces what arrangements they must now make and when applications will be taken?

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