Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. Fianna Fáil is totally supportive of the work she is doing in this area and I certainly welcome the publication of the Bill. The relevant section was put into the original Bill at the suggestion of me and Deputy Thomas Byrne, who is now a Minister of State, when we served on the education committee in the previous Dáil. We felt it was vital that the Minister of day had the opportunity to be able to direct schools, boards of management and patrons to take on children with special needs when that need was clearly demonstrated in the community. It is very important.

As for what lessons have we learned, it was interesting that even though it was agreed that the provision be included in the Act a number of years ago, approximately 27 sections had to be dealt with. This is why there is such a long period of time between beginning and completing a section 37A process. I understand it can take up to 18 months. There would then there would be further delays to organise building the room and resourcing it. We have learned that simplification is very important. When legislation is introduced, we must try to ensure it is as practical and pragmatic as possible. The fact the process can be reduced to eight weeks is very important and will serve the young people we are speaking about in their communities. It is very important.

When we speak about providing accommodation for special education centres and classes, we are not just talking about the four walls or the physical building. We are speaking about the resources, the special educational assistants and the intervention therapies that are needed. At present, as the Minister of State is aware, there is a huge gap in these intervention therapies. I appreciate this is outside the remit of the Minister of State but we need to see more co-ordination on these intervention therapies between the Department of Education and that of the Minister with responsibility for disability. The services are greatly needed. We all know that early intervention is very important and can make such a difference in the life of a young person and in the lives of their families and the people in their communities. They all need the opportunity to fulfil their potential in as large way as possible. Sadly in many cases they are being failed due to a lack of intervention therapies.

Summer provision has been mentioned and I agree with what has been said. While financial resources are being put in place, it is incumbent on schools, particularly special schools, to have summer provision. I believe that all schools should have summer provision to help support those children who need it. These are children with a disability and those who are vulnerable in other ways.

I want to raise an issue on which I have been in contact with the office of the Minister of State. This is with regard to Kildare Town Community School. It has excellent special education facilities. It has been progressing very well in this area. It found out on a website, as opposed to being told directly, that it would lose two special needs assistants from September. Inclusion is at the heart of education as is having an inclusive practice. Special needs assistants at the heart of every school. Unfortunately, many of the supporting activities for the children in the autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit in this school will be curtailed. It is very important that children in ASD and special educational needs units have an opportunity to be involved in transition year, the leaving certificate, the junior certificate and the leaving certificate applied if they have the ability to do so. This loss of staff will reduce their opportunities to do so in this school. I ask the Minister of State to look at this again. It is very clear from the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act and the Education Act that the Minister of State has the authority to examine this area. Where the system is working for the young people for whom it is meant to work, we should not tinker with it or change it. We need to do all that we can to ensure this happens.