Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

Last Thursday, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan contacted me about St. Gabriel's Special School and the information it had given to parents. It is a very challenging and distressing situation. On Friday morning, the Department and the National Council for Special Education made contact with the school and a very extensive meeting was held in the afternoon. Thankfully, the position taken by the management and board on Thursday night was reversed and the full school opened on Monday morning.

I thank all those who work in special schools for their enormous commitment to special education. The NCSE and the Department are continuing to work with St. Gabriel's Special School on any issues it has and to provide the best possible supports. It is important that we understand the challenges within school communities and that if they exist, they are communicated to the NCSE and the Department before any decisions are taken relating to school hours.

There are ongoing discussions with the ETB, the Department and the NCSE regarding Carrigaline Community Special School. I am well aware of the issues the public domain. I do not want to comment publicly on them. I want to make sure we find resolutions for both schools. We met with the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education last Friday at its annual conference and I met many of its teams. I have visited many of the schools around the country and know acutely the work that is happening and the challenges they face. ETBs throughout the country are taking on special schools and we must compliment them on the work they do. We also need to support them in a very meaningful way. When delivering schools at post-primary or primary level or at further education level, ETBs will have directors and it is important that we have one contact within the ETBs who is the director of the special schools. Cork ETB has taken on a number of schools and is constructing another a school in Carrignavar on the site of the previous school so a lot of work is ongoing. We have to make sure we have the proper resources to support them and the teams that run the special schools.

The Government took the decision earlier in April or May of this year to put therapists back into special schools. That work is ongoing. The education therapy service, ETS, is being developed and is a priority for Government. Recruitment will starting in phases but we must also ensure we are training enough therapists to put them back into special schools. That will equip the special schools with the human resources to provide the best possible service, help and support to students and the teams that work in special schools. We are committed to that.

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