Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Is mór dom sin. Táim go mór faoi chomaoin ag an gCathaoirleach agus cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this important Commencement matter which deals with school supports for children with autism. I thank the Minister of State for attending to take it.

As the Minister of State may be aware, in the past few years there has been an attempt to integrate children with an autism diagnosis into mainstream schools at both primary and secondary level. I acknowledge that much of this work has yielded positive and transformative outcomes, not only for the children concerned but also the schools which have had their learning horizons expanded significantly. That said, there remain significant and, to some extent, growing concerns about the curtailment of access to teaching hours through the application of what are termed as reduced timetables. As I understand it, the Department’s view is that reduced timetables should not be used as a behavioural management technique, or seen de factoas amounting to suspension or expulsion. There is no legislative provision for their use for particular pupils or groups of pupils. We are talking about a situation where the State is resourcing schools, but because of behavioural issues or whatever else, the children in need of support are not receiving it because they are being placed on reduced timetables. The autism support organisation AsIAm made this clear in its submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Skills in late April and again at a recent briefing in the AV room. From its consultation with parents, autistic children and teachers, it concluded that reduced timetables were being used de factoas a behavioural management option and had the obvious outcome that children were being denied access to class time. It stated this was mainly down to the failure of the Department to ensure schools were sufficiently autism friendly. It is one thing to provide funding and resources but another to ensure delivery. AsIAm also noted that there were what might be termed regulatory lacunae,in the sense that while there was a commitment on paper to adapt the school environment to meet the needs of autistic students, it was not always given practical effect, either because of a lack of training or because of inadequate psychological support structures.

Pavee Point has independently arrived at pretty much the same conclusions in the case of Traveller children. Ms Maria Joyce told the Joint Committee on Education and Skills on 30 May on the issue of Traveller children on reduced hours that it had almost reached the point where it had become policy, rather than an exceptional measure in dealing with a child with particular needs. It is being resorted to far too easily and not being used as a last option. Will the Minister of State accept, therefore, that exclusion from access to classroom time is almost at the point where it is becoming systemic within schools? Will she also accept that unless and until more effective autism supports are put in place within schools, the problem is likely to become embedded and that it will become far more challenging to reverse it?This is ultimately a question of whether we are genuinely committed to ensuring that these children are made to feel welcome in the school environment, despite the challenges that often present for school staff who are, in fairness, committed and dedicated.