Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)

My Topical Issue concerns the shortage of SNAs and access to respite in respect of special schools in Cork. I have two specific schools in mind and the Minister of State will be familiar with the issues regarding them. I initially tabled this in the context of the news that had just broken to parents of children in St. Gabriel's Special School, Bishopstown, which caused enormous alarm. I spoke to a number of those parents. It was articulated that due to a lack of SNAs, it was proposed that children deemed high risk would be reduced to a three-day week while children deemed at lower risk would be looking at a four-day week.

In respect of this and the other issue, which relates to Carrigaline Community Special School, fundamental to special education and the philosophy that underpins it of ensuring children get the support and education they need to reach their potential is continuity, consistency and predictability. Undoubtedly, had the school introduced three-day-per-week or four-day-per-week provision to children for a period - I think the period being talked about was six weeks - that would have caused enormous problems. A number of public representatives contacted the Minister of State, including Councillor Joe Lynch from our side on our behalf. There was a quick enough response from his office and parents were subsequently informed that the proposal to go a reduced week would not proceed and that the NCSE would be engaging with the school to address the staff shortages.

I am asking for an update on how the Department and the NCSE will work with St. Gabriel's Special School to ensure there is adequate staff. The concern from the management was that there was insufficient staff to ensure safety and the quality education to which the children were entitled. It is positive that the NCSE and the Department engaged to the extent that they did on Friday to ensure the school re-opened in full but the underlying issues need to be resolved in terms of ensuring adequate staffing.

The second issue concerns Carrigaline Community Special School. Several issues have arisen there, many of which relate to staff turnover but also because of the lack of respite and therapies due to it being an ETB school. There are reports today of one child having three teachers within a relatively short period. These are all interlinked. A child who does not have access to adequate therapies will potentially be dysregulated, not reach his or her full potential and find the experience difficult. The teachers are then under pressure because the child is dysregulated leading to a knock-on impact in terms of burnout. That has an impact on parents, who are frustrated and see turnover. Those parents are not being supported by adequate respite and have to fight for everything. The situation there is not good enough.

The focus needs to be on solutions to the issues facing the school. The Department am an ghátair had to ask the ETB to open special schools in Rochestown and Carrigaline but the lack of access to therapies and respite is hugely undermining their ability to do that. This has an impact in terms of staff burnout and turnover. Who pays the price for this ultimately? Who is paying the price of the State being unable to put in place to everything they need? It is the children. It is those who are most at the margins so we clearly need a solution to the issues. I would also like an update on St. Gabriel's Special School.

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