Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister of State is aware, I have chaired the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism since early 2022. After meeting with a large number of parents' groups, one issue came to the fore early on, namely, the lack of summer provision in special schools. These children have the highest needs. We issued a report in October 2022 and engaged with the Department of Education and the Minister of State with responsibility for special education on what we regarded as a major issue of concern. In fairness, the Department took on board our concerns. New rules, guidelines and supports were put in place for summer 2023. We opened a portal for students of the therapies in colleges and ECCE-qualified staff who were very well-educated to ensure they would be available to work in the programme. Anecdotally, we were told that a significant number of schools did not provide the programme because they could not get staff. A portal was opened and extra supports were put in place, with shorter hours and a €2,000 grant organised for it. I compliment the Department and Government for putting those supports in place.

I will give the figures for 2022. Of the 8,682 children in special schools, 1,408 had some programme - either two or four weeks - so 16% had a programme. In 2023, with all the changes and supports introduced, of 8,945 children, 2,443 had some programme, which is 27%. This included additional schools like Linn Dara School for the blind and Beaumont Hospital Special School. Twenty-three new schools were involved compared to 2022. Two did it and 22 did not do it in 2023 so there was an additional figure of 21, which brought us up just short of 60, or under 50%. Of that total, 369 children out of 8,945 got four weeks so, unfortunately, it is still a major issue of concern, which is why I am raising it today.

We need to address this issue for 2024. Rosedale School in Galway recruited 37 staff from the portal to run the summer programme. Most of those staff were then taken on and worked in the respite services so getting staff for the month for August is always an issue.

I do not think it is acceptable that we will have the same situation in 2024 where children with the highest needs are not getting supports. The committee sent a questionnaire to all 130-odd special schools in the country, collated the answers and issued a report. A total of 35% had difficulty in recruiting an organiser, 48% had difficulty in recruiting internal staff, 18% had difficulty in recruiting external staff and 20% did not have available school buildings. One in five said it could not run the programme because school buildings were unavailable. I will not name the school but one school said it could not do it because its school grounds were used for a private summer camp. A school is being used for a private summer camp for profit while the children who are in that school for the rest of the year did not have it for the summer programme. We know how children regress because of that gap.

We need to make this compulsory. I know that would cause a lot of anger but we have a portal for staff who are available and want to work in that service so there is no reason for any special school not to put that in place. The staff are available and have put themselves forward. They are more than qualified. I gave the example of a special school in Galway that recruited 37 staff. The children and parents were happy. They got their programme rather than the school saying it did not have the staff to run it.

I want us to start the process for 2024. I appeal to every principal and board of management. The responsibility is with the board of management of these schools as well. The starting point should be that they will offer the programme in 2024.