Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Senator Conway.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, and, in particular, her remit of special education and inclusion. I thank her for the detailed update. I am delighted there is a resolution for children with special needs and their parents. It has been a difficult and traumatic time. The lack of structure and routine has led to very serious outcomes, such as children not sleeping and not eating. They just do not have the structure they had when they were attending their schools. A recent Health Research Board-funded study was carried out under one of the Covid-19 rapid response grants in the Dublin City University school of psychology. The study was carried out in particular on children with autism. It shows there was a decline in abilities and skills. There is a decline in ability to self-regulate emotions and more challenging behaviours. It is proven beyond doubt that there has been regression for children with special needs. This takes an incredible toll on the parents and other members of the family.

I wish to acknowledge the principals, teaching staff and special needs assistants who support in-person learning. We have a robust special needs educational system and it will deliver the best education and care to children. On Thursday next, 11 February, more than 124 special needs schools across Ireland will return to a form of normality, and on Thursday, 25 February, we look forward to seeing special classes in mainstream primary schools. In the broader context, it is the wider community and people who have done everything possible in recent weeks to bring Covid-19 numbers down that have helped to bring us to the point where we are able to reopen our schools in accordance with the updated work safety protocol. An extremely detailed guide has been sent out to special schools with regard to how this will work.It is positive that the public health guidance from NPHET notes that infection control and prevention measures in place for schools since September are still considered highly effective for risk mitigation.

The intense efforts of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, and the Department of Education are very much appreciated. In meeting with many of the groups of stakeholders and working together a successful outcome has been achieved. I understand that the Minister of State has met organisations representing parents of children with additional needs, as well as the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education, AsIAm, Down's Syndrome Ireland, Inclusion Ireland, Family Carers Ireland and the Ombudsman for Children. I welcome her update in regard to school liaison for parents and pupils, Scoilnet and NEPS supports for well-being.

I have spoken with principals and teachers who are very eager to reopen schools. They understand that supports are needed for parents and they want to engage again with children and offer respite. I have a number of questions for the Minister of State. First, in regard to the 50% return to classes this week on alternate days, can the Minister of State confirm that school principals will decide the measures around how this takes place? On transport, can we consider dedicated buses to schools in this period to reduce mixing of children from different schools? In my home town of Ballinasloe, children attending the special school, St. Teresa's, and children from a special needs class at the town primary school, Scoil an Chroí Naofa, would take the same bus. What measures can we put in place to reduce that mixing? In regard to the supplementary support programme and the numbers of SNAs and teachers, which the Minister of State mentioned is a voluntary-type programme, is consideration being given to providing additional supports for principals to deliver this programme?

We are very aware that the supports that are being put in place will allow children to return to some type of normality. That is what we are all fighting for and what the Minister of State has achieved in getting these schools reopened. In terms of my queries, it is important there is engagement from the relevant departments to ensure a successful first few weeks because the eyes will be on us.