Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the announcement made by the Minister for Education and Skills on 10 February on the immediate establishment of the inclusion support service under the remit of the National Council for Special Education. I admire the aspiration to offer a better and more integrated service to schools within the areas of continuing professional development in special education for teachers, behavioural support in schools and the provision of services for children who are deaf, hard of hearing or visually impaired. This move will see the amalgamation of the special education support service, SESS, the national behaviour support service, NBSS, and the visiting teacher service to operate under the auspices of the NCSE.

I hope the current staff with their high level of expertise and specialist qualifications will be maintained within the new inclusion support service. I also hope that the prompt and effective support available from SESS, the NBSS and the visiting teacher service to schools facing immediate challenges is maintained during the transition process and beyond. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Education and Skills to come here to outline her vision for the inclusion support service and other aspects of special education in schools.