Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur with the sentiments expressed by Senator Higgins. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. I consider that much of this is more within the province of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. I raised this with the HSE when HSE representatives were before the Joint Committee on Disability Matters when we had a joint sitting with the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. It was stated at that meeting that the failure of metrics, assessments of need and staffing around the community disability network teams leads directly to the inability to plan for education at local level. It impedes the Minister of State's very good work. I hasten to add that this is no fault of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and not for want of trying on her part. There is a need to have quality metrics as to what the anticipated level of need is in order that we can anticipate whether we need special classes or whether we need full special schools.