Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)

I have read the document and, to be honest, most of it reads as a list of the failures of the systems of this Government and previous Governments and their failure to ensure that children with additional needs get the help and support, and, therefore, the education, they deserve.

I have experienced a number of key ongoing issues. I started working as a family support worker in 2001. I worked with families, many of whom had children with additional needs. To be honest, the situation got worse and worse between 2001 and my election in 2020. Access to therapeutic supports and services has deteriorated to such an extent that children in Dublin 15 are waiting over 72 months for an assessment of need. That is an appalling failure and does not need a review to report to ensure it is sorted out. In fact, the Government, as the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, knows, has a legal requirement to carry out these assessments but this Government and previous Governments have consistently broken the law.

I welcome the work of the autism common application trial group. We had feedback today. I know the Minister of State was at a subsequent meeting. We were at the all-party parliamentary committee on autism. There was positive feedback from parents. I expect the recommendations from the parents to be implemented. More importantly, I ask that every school will get involved in year 2 of the pilot project. That is essential. There were 13 schools involved in this year's pilot project but there are 33 schools out there that have children with additional needs in special classes.

I ask the Department to look at the schools which go above and beyond to give children the support they need. I will give the example of a school in Tyrrelstown that has seven special classes. It is getting an extension but is losing valuable space in the school. It has asked for a sliver of land from the council but the Department has refused to engage with the school and Fingal County Council. I find that astonishing. The school has gone above and beyond to become a leader in working with children with additional needs. It is just looking for a small sliver of land. I will pass the details to the Minister of State. Perhaps he could try to help with the Department in that regard.

I do not have time to go through all of the recommendations but as a parent of two primary school teachers, I think training is essential for teachers, special needs assistants and ancillary staff, including caretakers, school secretaries and the other people who work in the school, so they can understand, help and support those students when they need it. That is how those students can attain the best education we can give them. I appeal to the Government to ensure that this is not just another case of report after report and that the situation will be reviewed again in a few years' time when nothing of substance has changed. To be honest, this is about children and their education. They get one chance at this and it is important that they are given the best chance.

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