Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason her Department is continuing to delay in applying the recommendations of the Labour Court from December 2019 in relation to the public service regularisation of the employment of behavioural analysts who make such a critical contribution to special education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22699/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department previously funded 13 centres through an ABA pilot scheme for the period 1999-2011. All of these centres applied for and were granted recognition as Special Schools for children with Autism and now form part of the network of special schools. A transitional agreement was put in place between the Department and Patrons of these schools to manage this process.

As part of the transitional agreement my Department provides grant funding to these schools to engage behaviour practitioners. The post holders in question are privately employed/engaged and retained under contract by the Special Schools concerned and do not have a contractual relationship with my Department. For this reason my Department was not party to the Labour Court proceedings referenced by the Deputy.

My Department facilitates a Consultative Forum with the Patrons of these 13 schools to ensure they are adequately supported.