Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the Senators for their very constructive contributions to this issue. We are not bringing in the new model this year because the National Council for Special Education working group report identified that we need time for consultation, to ensure we do this properly. There is no point doing something unless we can do it properly. We did not have the information from the HSE about the complex needs which we need before we can implement the model.

As well as introducing the new support service, which is the main topic of this debate, we will also design a pilot of the new model. I think it was Senator Reilly who asked what it might look like. We will invite schools to say they would like to be in the pilot. We want to introduce that in September in a few schools to get a sense of how it would work, albeit that will be done without all the information on complex needs.We still want to do it, however, to give people a sense of how the new system would work. A number of people, including Senator Hayden, raised the importance of having a smooth transition both concerning the inclusion model and also introducing the totally new model for special needs.

Senator Healy Eames raised the issue of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, Act, which has been on the Statute Book for a number of years, although a lot of it has not been implemented. We are trying to do everything in line with the EPSEN Act so that we are not going in a totally different direction. Many people, including Senator Moloney, have pointed to the cost of doing assessments and the fact that in some cases a diagnosis is not needed to know what a child actually needs. It is important to get it in place as soon as one can for the child.

That brings me to the point raised by Senator Mulcahy, and supported by Senator Healy Eames, about the early years. We are currently working on this on a cross-departmental basis. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Reilly, has direct responsibility for the provision of child care in the early years. In addition, the Department of Health also has responsibility for much of this area in providing necessary supports for children from birth, if they have a disability.

The Minister, Deputy Reilly, has established a cross-departmental working group which will report before the summer. We are participating in that, as are other Departments, but it is led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. That report will help the situation and give us a sense of how we can be more co-ordinated, which was the issue raised by several Senators.

As regards my direct responsibility for the early years, I have responsibility for the educational content but I do not run the fund. However, I have established an advisory group and am also reviewing the qualifications for those working in the early years sector, which is generally either in further or higher education. We are working in tandem, therefore, and do talk to each other at meetings. The cross-departmental group will help in that regard. I agree with Senator Power's point that children are not different - they are the same as they go through the whole system, so we must ensure that we work in tandem with each other.

Senators Hayden and Healy Eames raised related issues concerning support for children whether they are in a special class or in the mainstream school. We want to support them in whatever they need. There is a point that special classes, and I have visited a number of them, are more costly to run than mainstream classes. A lot of extra space is required, as well as equipment. In some cases they will have sensory rooms attached and I presume that is why extra resources are provided for special classes. I always encourage schools to take these special classes because they work well, particularly for children on the autistic spectrum. They can be in an autistic unit which is attached to a mainstream school.

Every year there is an increase in the number of resource teachers and SNAs. There is an increased population as well, but the increase in resource teacher and SNA hours is greater than the demographic increase. That will continue and we will ensure that there are enough resources to implement the new model. When I was considering its implementation, I had already done work on the resources that would be required to ensure that a school does not suddenly lose a pile of resources. The new model will benefit schools that have more children with special needs. We want to ensure that there is no knock-on effect on schools that the new model would indicate do not need as much as another school with the same number of pupils.

We want to deal with the needs of the child. Senator Mullins also raised the question of a spike concerning the extra number of children in any one year with complex needs. We want to be able to address that issue, which is why we need the information on complex needs.

The Senator also referred to replacing people on maternity leave, but that would not arise under our budget. It might be more in the Department of Health's area. In schools we generally do replace people, but I can raise the issue at the cross-departmental group.