Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)

Tá áthas orm labhairt ar an rún seo anocht. Beidh mé ag tacú leis an rún, a bhaineann le hoideachas speisialta. I will support the motion, in particular the call to establish a timebound school building delivery task force with a mandate to ensure the quick and priority delivery of special schools and classes. This is an aspect of the school accommodation crisis more generally, on which I have repeatedly focused over the years. I have raised the issue a number of times here.

I have, of course, raised the issue with the Minister and Department of Education and Youth's planning and building unit during sessions of the Committee on further and higher education. There is another issue affecting many schools, namely, the lack of communication from the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, with school principals. That was flagged to me by school principals. They are told to open a special class, but there is very little communication in terms of getting prepared for that and having resources in place. I call for such communication to be improved.

I recently submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister requesting a list of the 45 special schools to be included in the new national therapy programme. Astonishingly, I received no clarity or information. All I was told was that the new education therapy service would commence in some special schools at a later stage in the 2025-26 school year and that the schools selected for inclusion in the initial phase will be informed by engagement with colleagues in the HSE and the National Council for Special Education. The response went on to state that it is anticipated that the school selection for the initial phase will be complete in the early 2025-26 school year and that schools will have the opportunity to engage with the education therapy service. This is unacceptable because there is a vacuum.

The Minster recently visited Offaly School of Special Education, for which we are very grateful, and saw first-hand how the staff are doing their very best. There are excellent staff in school, but they need to be part of the education therapy support service. I hope that will happen and schools will be given clarity as soon as possible.

I refer to children who are waiting for assessments for a long period of time. I had a case on my desk recently concerning someone who was told it would take two years for an assessment. Parents are forced to pay privately for these assessments and it is very difficult for parents in the current climate where the cost of living is constantly rising. Anything that could be done in that regard will be greatly appreciated.

See this speech in context