Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I was struck by Senator Murphy's comment about years ago. Thirty years ago, I am not sure whether the words "dyslexia" and "autism" were even in the English language. A large number of the kids in question were at the back of the class and sometimes did not get a chance in life. Thankfully, that has changed and people are getting opportunities.

I welcome today's presentation and I thank Senator Lombard for organising it. It was informative and I compliment the organisation that appeared before us on its work. Well done to Senator Lombard on being such a strong advocate. I support the organisation's requests for the budget. How equipment can make such a difference was well articulated by the Senator.

I am a firm believer in early intervention. There are challenges in getting early intervention to kids, but there is a simpler test that can be done and used to refer kids on for further tests. This needs to be done at a young age in all schools.

Yesterday evening, I told my wife, Una, that I was going to speak on this issue. She felt that, as a primary teacher, she was not well enough informed on the matter. She has made overtures and bought equipment, coloured paper and so on to have it all in place for kids who might be affected. More teachers need to be trained up to increase their awareness, as do SNAs. A child would not get an SNA on the basis of having dyslexia, but when SNAs are in a classroom setting, they should have a basic knowledge of the issue as well.

Across the system, there need to be more spot checks so that kids who should be getting aid in school are actually getting it and that their schools are not using their hours for alternative uses. The latter is happening in a large number of schools. I do not want to see principals not giving kids the hours that they have been allocated and to which they are entitled. An eye needs to be kept on this.

The figure of 10% is startling. I did not realise that was the percentage until Senator Lombard said so. I am proud of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, who has driven the school inclusion model for kids with autism in particular. It is the way forward. We can bring occupational therapy and speech and language therapy into schools as well to help kids with dyslexia. Instead of taking kids out of the school setting where they are comfortable and putting them into a clinical setting, bring that help into schools. I hope that more funding is allocated to the Department to allow for that approach to be taken across the country. It was successful in the trial area, which I believe was CHO 7 in Meath, and had positive results. It must be rolled out across the whole country. Get it into schools and to the kids every day of the week. Get in early, identify the problems and sort them out.

I compliment the Minister of State on her work and Senator Lombard on being a very strong advocate for people with dyslexia.