Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete "'implement the recommendations in the NCSE report of May 2013, and in particular to ensure that his Department introduces a robust regulatory enrolment framework for schools to ensure that:'" and substitute the following:
"'consider implementing the recommendations in the NCSE report of May 2013, and in particular to ensure that his Department introduces a robust regulatory enrolment framework for schools to ensure that, in principle:'".

Tá áthas orm bheith ag caint ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. Molaim Seanadóir Mullen as é a chur ós ár gchómhair inniu. While welcoming the motion, I propose a slight amendment to it.

I very much welcome the recent publication of the report on supporting students with special educational needs by the NCSE. This motion is about enrolment, which is one element of that report. The finding by the NCSE that certain school enrolment policies and practices have been less than fully inclusive is somewhat disappointing. However, it is not clear from the wording whether this comment is meant to apply to discrete elements of enrolment policies or whether it refers to some policies in some schools. I suspect it is the latter and ask Senator Mullen to clarify that point in the context of the motion before the House.

It should be noted that the NCSE in its report states that the majority of schools operate inclusive enrolment policies and practices. It is my experience that the vast majority of schools are most inclusive, both in policy and in practice, allowing for the limits of what is possible at any one time within a certain school. Indeed, I wish today to pay tribute to our schools and the teachers, classroom assistants, boards of management and the wider school community for their massive contribution over recent years in immeasurably improving access to mainstream schools for those children with special educational needs.

The HSE and the special needs section of the Department of Education and Skills have also been proactive in providing the resources necessary to enable all children, irrespective of educational needs, to enrol in their local schools. However, perhaps these resources could more often be pre-supplied rather than, in some cases, applied post-enrolment. In other words, they should be supplied upon application or registration by a student rather than after the student enrols.

The motion states that it is essential that children with disabilities have access to mainstream education and I totally agree with this. However, children with special needs should also be given the choice, if it is the considered wish of their parents, to attend special schools that cater for their special needs. I would now like to look at a study in inclusiveness, which is Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Kilsaran, County Louth. This is a mainstream school with a dedicated autism unit which was officially opened last year by President Michael D. Higgins. The school supports the principal of inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of children with a disability or other special educational need. The school caters for children from infants to sixth class in mainstream classes. It also has one special class for children with severe and profound disabilities and three classes for children on the autistic spectrum. The school also has County Louth's only early prevention unit for children of pre­school age with autism. The purpose of the autism unit is to give pupils on the autistic spectrum a mainstream education, while suiting both their specific educational and sensory needs. If a student is deemed both academically and behaviourally suitable, he or she can be transferred on a phased or full-time basis to mainstream education in the school. At present there are five students who have successfully integrated fully into mainstream education and three others who are being integrated on a phased basis. This is only one model and not all schools can have these facilities, but it is a clear example of how inclusivity is being developed in a particular setting.

I am not aware of any school, as referred to in the motion, that excludes children in its policies, and I am sure that is illegal. If it is the case that this is happening, it should be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities. Sometimes there is a stipulation that children will be accepted subject to the resources being provided, but this more a negotiating position with the various agencies involved rather than a covert attempt to exclude children with disabilities. However, I agree that it should be examined.

Regarding enrolment policy and the aforementioned report, the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education, NABMSE, argues that what is needed is the adoption of a robust regulatory framework to ensure that all children with special educational needs can access a school placement. The motion calls on the Minister to implement the recommendations of the report, of which there are 28, and, in particular, to ensure that every child with special educational needs is protected. I support the motion but ask the proposers to consider my amendment. Having said that, I commend Senators Mullen and Quinn on their tabling of this worthy motion.