Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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This is not the first occasion in recent times on which someone has tabled a Commencement matter and then withdrawn it. I see other Senators here such as Senators Boyhan and Mulherin who did not get a bite at the cherry. When a Senator declines to raise a Commencement matter which has been selected for discussion by me, it is frustrating for those who are waiting to have matters selected. That is not Senator Mullen's problem, but I am trying to be as fair as possible. Senator Mullen has not had a matter selected for a while, which is why I selected his Commencement matter for discussion today.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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Is mór dom sin. Táim go mór faoi chomaoin ag an gCathaoirleach agus cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this important Commencement matter which deals with school supports for children with autism. I thank the Minister of State for attending to take it.

As the Minister of State may be aware, in the past few years there has been an attempt to integrate children with an autism diagnosis into mainstream schools at both primary and secondary level. I acknowledge that much of this work has yielded positive and transformative outcomes, not only for the children concerned but also the schools which have had their learning horizons expanded significantly. That said, there remain significant and, to some extent, growing concerns about the curtailment of access to teaching hours through the application of what are termed as reduced timetables. As I understand it, the Department’s view is that reduced timetables should not be used as a behavioural management technique, or seen de factoas amounting to suspension or expulsion. There is no legislative provision for their use for particular pupils or groups of pupils. We are talking about a situation where the State is resourcing schools, but because of behavioural issues or whatever else, the children in need of support are not receiving it because they are being placed on reduced timetables. The autism support organisation AsIAm made this clear in its submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Skills in late April and again at a recent briefing in the AV room. From its consultation with parents, autistic children and teachers, it concluded that reduced timetables were being used de factoas a behavioural management option and had the obvious outcome that children were being denied access to class time. It stated this was mainly down to the failure of the Department to ensure schools were sufficiently autism friendly. It is one thing to provide funding and resources but another to ensure delivery. AsIAm also noted that there were what might be termed regulatory lacunae,in the sense that while there was a commitment on paper to adapt the school environment to meet the needs of autistic students, it was not always given practical effect, either because of a lack of training or because of inadequate psychological support structures.

Pavee Point has independently arrived at pretty much the same conclusions in the case of Traveller children. Ms Maria Joyce told the Joint Committee on Education and Skills on 30 May on the issue of Traveller children on reduced hours that it had almost reached the point where it had become policy, rather than an exceptional measure in dealing with a child with particular needs. It is being resorted to far too easily and not being used as a last option. Will the Minister of State accept, therefore, that exclusion from access to classroom time is almost at the point where it is becoming systemic within schools? Will she also accept that unless and until more effective autism supports are put in place within schools, the problem is likely to become embedded and that it will become far more challenging to reverse it?This is ultimately a question of whether we are genuinely committed to ensuring that these children are made to feel welcome in the school environment, despite the challenges that often present for school staff who are, in fairness, committed and dedicated.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I will answer to the best of my ability. Where I cannot answer today, I will certainly respond later to the Senator. We all work with parents and try to provide the best care while ensuring that all students are given access to the supports they need and that are relevant and appropriate for them in any type of school. It is important to note that the Government is committed to that, as is everyone in this House and in the Dáil. I thank the Senator for raising this issue, and in particular the challenges faced by children with autism in getting an education.

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills will publish its report later on the use of reduced timetables by schools and its impact on children with special educational needs. The Minister for Education and Skills and his officials will consider the views of the committee over coming weeks. I am sure they will revert to the Senator Mullen and to every other Member. Enabling children with special educational needs, including autism, to receive an education is a priority for the Government. This year we will invest €1.8 billion in providing supports for children with special educational needs, including additional teachers and special needs assistants, SNAs. It also includes an allocation of more than €300 million towards providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools.

The greater proportion of children with autism attend mainstream classes, but some may find it difficult to manage full-time placement in mainstream and, therefore, placement in a special class or special school setting is deemed more appropriate. Enrolment of a child in a special class or special school placement is based on a professional assessment in consultation with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. The NCSE is responsible for planning, co-ordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs. It is planning to ensure that every child has a school placement appropriate to his or her needs for the 2019-20 school year and is working closely with the Department of Education and Skills in this regard.

I will outline some facts associated with this issue. Since 2011, the number of special classes has increased significantly from 548 in 2011 to 1,459 across the country now. That is almost a threefold increase of which almost 1,200 are autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special classes. In addition, there are 124 special schools, of which 20 cater exclusively for children with autism. The NCSE team of special education needs organisers, SENOs, are locally based and are available to support families of children with special needs.

The National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, supports children with ASD, including those who may also present with anxiety. This may involve in-depth consultation, an assessment or building schools' capacity to better understand triggers, interventions, solutions and strategies in response to the presenting needs. The Department and the NCSE provide a range of supports, including professional development, advice and guidance for schools and teachers teaching children with special needs. Schools are required to have policies in place to support students who experience difficulties that impact on their ability to fully participate in school life. As we all know, intervention at an early stage is key.

Reduced timetables should not be used as a behavioural management technique, or as any kind of a de facto suspension or expulsion. There are legal provisions relating to the exclusion and expulsion of students and these are the responsibility of Tusla. Notwithstanding that, the Department of Education and Skills is aware that reduced timetables are being used in circumstances where that may not be considered the most appropriate means of dealing with a behavioural issue. The Department is working with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla on the development of guidelines for schools on this issue.

I have spoken to the Minister in regard to this issue previously. He is anxious that every child’s entitlement to an education be vindicated. This means that children are supported to ensure maximum attendance and participation. I am satisfied that the necessary legislative framework and structures across both Departments and their agencies are in place to deliver on this important objective.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for her response. There will always be a gap in all human affairs between rhetoric and reality; it is inevitable. What we have to work to is narrowing that gap as much as possible. I will be somewhat parochial for a moment. In December 2018, the Galway Autism Partnership, which provides a service to 200 families, appealed to all Oireachtas Members to make representations to the Department on its behalf. I understand that the unit, based in Athenry and serving Roscommon and Galway, had no service at all for people with autism for all of 2013. Its most recent report is from 2017 and it highlighted the fact that it receives no State funding and relies on extensive fundraising, donations from members of the public and corporate sponsorship.

I hope that can change. The Minister of State will not have the information to hand but I would be grateful if I could be reverted to on this issue. I raise this point because it highlights in another way the gap between the rhetoric of the State regarding autism supports and the reality on the ground. I accept that there is a commitment to the principle of subsidiarity at play, which is commendable. Parents and students, however, need the commitment at local level to be reciprocated at departmental level. The issue I raise referred to reduced timetables. It concerns how allocated resources are being used, but it links in with the issue of the allocation of resources in other situations. Both of these issues concern the need to narrow the gap between rhetoric and reality on the ground.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I will have to respond later to the Senator regarding the funding of specific organisations. It is not something I can comment on now. Organisations throughout the country, including in my constituency of Meath East, do fantastic work supporting parents, families, teachers, schools and young children with autism. It is important to acknowledge that and support them where we can.

Regarding the specific concern raised by the Senator on the use of reduced timetables, I again stress that the Minister is aware of this. Reduced timetables cannot, and should not, be used as a behavioural management technique or as any kind of suspension or expulsion mechanism. The Minister and his Department are working with Tusla to try to address those concerns. There has been a significant increase in the supports and funding available. The Senator is correct that it is important that the money reaches the students who need it and that it is applied appropriately. The Department is doing everything possible to ensure that is the case. If there are concerns regarding specific issues, it is important that the Senator or anyone else can raise them and make the Minister aware of them as well.