Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Education Act 1998, and, for that purpose, to provide for the inclusion of information from special educational needs organisers in school planning; to provide for inclusion policies in schools and to provide recognised disabled persons organisations with a role in agreeing the composition of boards of management of a school; to amend the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to provide for enhanced planning and co-ordination in relation to school planning areas; and to provide for related matters.

This Bill is the product of engagement with autism advocacy groups such as Involve Autism and Neurodiversity – Irishtown, Ringsend and Pearse Street. There is a strong feeling among parents of autistic children that their voice is not being heard by school boards of management. This Bill would go some way towards correcting that imbalance. In many schools across the country, children with autism are transported out of their communities to schools that are great distances from their homes because the required numbers of class places are not available. This problem is particularly acute in south Dublin and Dublin 6W. In Dublin 2 and Dublin 4, the picture is not much better for autistic children. Regularly, there is resistance to opening autism places in schools, and this is replicated right around the country.

The Bill would strengthen the voice of those with autism on the boards of schools. It would also mean issues relating to autistic children would have to be raised at board level. In bringing the Bill together, we consulted a range of stakeholders, including principals of many schools, AsIAm, Neurodiversity – Irishtown, Ringsend and Pearse Street, Alan Power of Involve Autism, and the National Council for Special Education. The Department of Education officials were particularly helpful. I acknowledge the commitment of the Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Madigan, who has done considerable work and is clearly committed to improving the lot of children with autism. I acknowledge the work of all involved.

This Bill would not solve every problem but would be an important step in strengthening the rights of autistic children and their families. We all understand the challenge faced by autistic children in the school setting, so it is important that their voice be heard clearly at school board meetings.

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