Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I never supported progressing disability services when I was in opposition when it was first brought in in 2013. I do not believe it is working and I do not believe it has worked. I believe a multidisciplinary school-led programme should be developed with multidisciplinary therapy teams in schools, beginning with special schools. I recall a time when special schools had therapists on-site and it worked. Progressing disability services was of the view that we should take them out of the special schools and have a broader service for a wider population, but what seems to have happened is that the service has been diluted and too much burden was placed on the CDNTs, which have large numbers. It is not simple but in my view, it clearly has not worked. I am making our commitments as a political party in respect of the multidisciplinary team-based approach in schools. That is a red line issue for me before I go into any other government again. There are issues on the clinical side and with clinical governance, which I get, but what is going on cannot be allowed to continue.

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