Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Is rún tábhachtach é seo.
According to the report entitled A Social Portrait of People with Disabilities in Ireland, there is a relationship between educational disadvantage and educational disability. There is also a strong reciprocal association between disability and educational achievement for young adults. Among people with a disability aged 18 to 34, well over half were affected by their disability before leaving school or college. Census figures indicate that people with a disability are only half as likely to be at work as the general population between the ages of 25 and 64. In addition, people with a disability are less likely to marry, which might be a good or a bad thing. According to the 2006 census, about half the general population aged 25 to 44 are married, compared to just over one third of people with a disability. Such statistics show that there are inequalities concerning disability which need to be addressed. I note that the proposer of the motion, Senator Mary Moran, has emphasised the mental health side of this matter. I welcome that because it is time we treated mental health conditions like any other disability and removed the stigma from the issue. That is happening, but not fast enough.
The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 legislates for the provision of education plans for students with special educational needs. Under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, children with special educational needs are educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have special needs. Of the 190,303 children estimated in 2010 to have a special educational need, as defined by the Act, for almost half - i.e., 86,083, or 8% of all children - a mental health difficulty is the condition giving rise to that need.
A Vision for Change advises that ensuring that children and adolescents remain engaged in the education system is a crucial first step in breaking the cycle of social exclusion. It also notes that schools are well placed to play a role in early intervention. In this regard the restoration of full-time ex quotacareer guidance counsellors is necessary. The former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, stated in this House that this would be a priority once the economic situation improved. Perhaps we can take a look at that matter shortly.
I am excluding Senator Ó Murchú from this completely, but I listened to some Opposition Members referring to recent cuts as though the Government was to blame. All I can say is that they must be taking large doses of milk of amnesia.