John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Many Senators in this Chamber are very passionate about the issue of school places for children with additional needs. In my teaching career before I came into this House, I had the opportunity to see how it really works in practice and it works well. My own school had three ASD classes and those students were fully integrated with the wider school population in the teaching of all the main subjects. I have seen the benefits both for students with additional needs and for the wider school population as regards teaching empathy and understanding. That is a really positive thing for society. The model is a really good one but the availability of classes is a challenge. In my own area of Waterford, we have had 12 additional ASD classes delivered for the 2024-25 school year but we need significantly more. We now have a total of 70 across primary and post-primary. While many schools are very proactive and want to take on special classes, other schools really need to step up to the plate. It is important to say that. The Department of Education needs to support those schools that are willing to open classes but we equally need to be quite firm on those that have been reluctant. Significant additional capital moneys were allocated in the budget to open 400 special classes across the country for the 2025-26 school year. I want to see a significant number in Waterford. I am happy to work with the schools and with parents in that regard. However, there needs to be more joined-up thinking between the Department of Education capital unit and the new Minister of State responsible for special education, whoever that might be. That Minister of State does not have a designated capital budget. That rests with the Minister for Education. Please God, I look forward to working with the next Minister for Education and Minister of State with responsibility for special education, whoever they may be.