Kathleen Funchion Demands Guarantees for Children with Additional Needs

Thanks very much, Minister. I want to raise the issue of children with additional needs, children who might rely on special needs assistance or even just actually resource hours, children with autism, what supports are currently in place for them as it's a very difficult time for them and their families. Routine is a big thing, particularly around autism. It's totally been, their whole lives have been turned upside down and I'd like to know what supports are currently there because from my experience, unfortunately, there's very little support there and crucially, what supports are going to be there in September. because given the length of time that children have been out of school now, particularly if they already struggle and need resource hours, schools usually have to battle for these hours and battle for special needs assistance. So I'd like a guarantee and a reassurance that in September these children will get extra supports or are we going to see a whole bunch of children being forced maybe to repeat various classes, which I think would be very unfair. I'm going to put my two questions together. I should have said that at the start. The other question I have is in relation to school readiness and I think one thing that all of us are going to do, all of this has shown us is how much we rely on the two years of ECCE and I know you're thinking, Minister, this doesn't directly fall into your category, but however, it is children's first experience of education. It's a very valuable ECCE year or two years as it is now. A lot of facilities don't feel that they're going to be able to reopen because of the supports that have been announced. It just don't go far enough. One thing that we suggested was a sustainability fund for this sector and I think it's important because we really need to know that come September these preschools are going to be able to open again and going to be able to offer this service to children. And I'd also like to ask in regards to that, will there be any extension of the ECCE year for children maybe who might benefit from that, given that they had to finish up on March the 12th? It goes back to sort of the first question, children who might be struggling a little bit, who might benefit from extra time or extra supports. Is there going to be any consideration given to that? Thanks Minister. Can I just make the point that I do think it's crazy for all of us elected in here to be limited to two and three minutes with such an important crisis. I agree. Unfortunately, their rules are sitting in front of me and I'd like to change them. I just want to put that on record. I don't think it would be received well. Tara, you have even less now. The first point there, Deputy, I raised in relation to additional needs and resource hours. We issued guidelines yesterday to all schools and all principals to ensure that we connect with our most vulnerable and that attention to detail will continue. Secondly, a lot of our SNAs have already been engaging and ensuring that continuity of connection between their students within schools. And that is the feedback we're getting formally and also anecdotally that that relationship is very strong. But certainly anything that we can do to ensure any additional resources or ensuring we protect the resource hours that we have, that certainly will be kept to the forefront. And secondly, you raise the issue in relation to childcare and ECHE years and what will happen in September. Look, we're in this space where we're working within public health advice, but I'm happy to raise this issue with my colleague, Minister Zappone. Thank you, Minister. Thank you. Do you cannot wait for us? Thank you, Minister. Can we. What does that mean?