Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)

I welcome the parents and activists in the Gallery and thank my colleague, Deputy Eoghan Kenny, for bringing this important motion forward. In my constituency, Fingal West, I regularly hear, like all Members do, from families deeply concerned about the severe shortage of appropriate education placements and supports for children with special needs. Accessing school settings remains a major challenge in my area, compounded by long waiting times for psychological assessments and interventions. These delays often leave children without a formal diagnosis or the support they urgently need. We must act with urgency to ensure that every child gets the right support in the right place. Inclusive accessible learning environments must be supported from early years right through to adulthood. The Department, the NCSE and relevant Ministers should conduct a full reassessment of the national demand for special schools with a view to establishing ones where necessary. We often talk about lifelong learning. The same principle must apply to special education. Traditional supports between early years, primary, post-primary and third level are inconsistent and this harms long-term outcomes. A centralised admissions system like the successful pilot in Dublin 15 should be rolled out nationally at both primary and post-primary levels. There is also a continuing shortage of qualified special education teachers and SNAs. Localised training hubs co-ordinated by the NCSE could support schools with strong SEN experience to train others, creating local communities of practice and reducing the need for travel.

I mentioned this to the Tánaiste about two or three weeks ago, but the access and inclusion model has supported more than 7,000 children annually in accessing early childhood care and education programmes. However, due to inadequate data sharing between the Department of children and the Department of Education, crucial information is lost when children move to primary school. Establishing a data sharing mechanism would give the Department of Education up to two years' notice to plan for SNAs, ASD classes and resource teachers, ensuring a smoother transition and better outcomes for all.

Finally, we need a publicly-funded ASD preschool in every town so families are not forced to travel long distances. Education begins at birth. By investing in inclusive care and early education, we can give children the fair and equal start they deserve.

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