Brendan Smith backs law to secure specialist school places

It's unfortunate that we need it, but I have to compliment Minister Foley and Minister Madigan, they're bringing forward the legislation to enable them to put in place the structures to ensure that no child is denied a place in an appropriate setting in school. I welcome the comments of Minister Madigan where she stated that it is intended that this legislation will work to support children with special education needs to gain access to specialist class placements which can meet their needs. And she also stated in her concluding remarks that she looks forward to working with colleagues in both houses of the Oireachtas and on all sides of the House to ensure that this legislation is passed and put in place before the Dáil and Seanad Thuram's end. It's welcome in that respect. Could I just say that having interacted over the years with the National Council for Special Education, I welcome the recent appointment of the new Chief Executive, John Kearney, whom I knew as Chief Executive of our Education and Training Board in Cavan Monaghan, a person who served as a school principal himself and a person who led Cavan Monaghan ETB. And I know that over the years we have worked together, public representatives along with ETB, to ensure that we got those additional ASD units, we got special classes with additional resources provided. So Mr Kearney comes from a background of having been in the classroom, having led an education and training body at local level as well. And I think if you looked across the schools under the remittance of Cavan Monaghan ETB, they show a great attachment to equality of provision and diverse provision as well, and ensuring that children that need that additional support, that they're given it to the best extent possible. And I have to say that over the years we've seen a huge growth in the number of units at different schools and also in specialist classes as well. I saw a figure recently where I think since this government took office, there's something like 1,165 additional special needs assistance have been appointed. That's a very welcome development. There are almost 20,000 special needs assistance in our education system at present. That's necessary. I remember my early days in this house, the big campaign for all public representatives at that time was to try to get special needs assistance. And if there was one in a school, it was a rare school that had even one. So thankfully there have been much needed improvements. And of course, all of us, regardless of what side of the house we sit on, we want to endeavour to ensure that every child gets that necessary support. Only a few weeks ago, we had the privilege of having Minister Foley in Coothill County Cavan, performing the official opening of the Holy Family Special School in Coothill. That school was established to serve the needs of the Cavan Monaghan children back in the 1960s on a voluntary basis. And one of the former distinguished members of this house, my friend and former doll colleague, Dr. Rory O'Hanlon, was one of the people, the half dozen people, who set about establishing that school, then got it under the remit of the Department of Education. And it's a school now that's a model in delivery of special education. And it's a great source of pride to all of us who have worked along with the boards of management and with the successive parents' association to have that new school in place. Thankfully today, that school is marvellous facilities. And Minister Foley, in an inspirational speech that day, just talked about the need and the value of special education, what it does for the children, what it does for families, and what it does for communities. And many of the time in this house, through parliamentary questions and topic issue debates, I had raised the need to get those new facilities in place. Because we had seen over the years a growth in numbers, a growth in temporary accommodation. But thankfully we have in place today that school with the most modern and up-to-date facilities that's good for the children, good for the people delivering the services, the teachers as well. I welcome Minister Foley's comments as well. That she stated at the outset of her contribution that herself and the Department and Minister Manny can recognise the importance of an inclusive education for all children. She stated that it's a primary objective as Minister of Education to promote and support actions that will ensure that the school setting is a welcoming, inclusive environment for all. And she also stated that providing for an appropriate school placement for every child with special education needs in a timely and supportive manner is a key priority for the Department and for the NCSE. And it's very important that that key priority, that strategy, that it's implemented. Could I just say, Deputy O'Lear referred to the fact of the shortage of therapists. Only yesterday I questioned the Minister for Higher Education in regard to the need to ensure that we increase the places in our universities and institutes of technology to ensure that we have more therapists trained. Because all of us have been campaigning with parents to get assessments for children who need it before they can get a place in a special school or in a special class. Could I just say that in my own area, in Cavan Monaghan, I have schools that are looking for special classes, looking for an ASD unit. And if one case that I have been in contact with both Minister Foley and Minister Mannequin about, where an early intervention class has been approved for a school, but they haven't got the follow-on of the school age ASD class. So now some parents that may have been going to send their child to the early intervention class may think if there's not the follow-on class, then maybe they're better going to the school that is both the early intervention class and the ASD class. So it's important from that point of view that children can attend a school as much as possible in their own local community. That siblings, where possible, attend the same school. And it's a case that I went and met the principal and the staff and some of the parents. And it's a case where we have the additional accommodation that's needed to establish the class. So in those instances where you have a principal with particular knowledge of special education and a very supportive staff, where they want the class and they have the extra accommodation as well, then we should be ensuring that such classes are approved without delay. Just with regard to DESH, and then we're talking about additional supports for children, and I welcome the fact that 32 million extra has been advocated for the department for the extension of the programme. But I have to say that I welcome the inclusion of a number of schools of my own constituents in the extended programme. But again, like others, I'm disappointed with the appeals process. And it's very, this algorithm that the department and officials would quote, I don't know how that algorithm works. Because we have schools that are drawing pupils from the same community. One school in the town or in the parish has DESH status and the other doesn't have it. So one principal wrote to me, and she made the point very succinctly, and I quote, disappointingly, we have not been accepted to the DESH scheme. We must not be regarded as having equal disadvantage as the other primary schools in the centre of the town. So you have schools drawing pupils from the same catchment having different status. And I would say to the ministers that whatever algorithm or model is used, it needs to be revised. And the DESH programme is particularly beneficial to so many children and so many families. So I would sincerely hope, Minister, that in the context of the new census figures being available, that that index that's often quoted, that that can be revised somewhat. And that we have the HP deprivation index, that we can have that revised and a different model put in place. I welcome today's legislation. And I just say that like other deputies, we all have children who need access to special classes. And the more classes and units are established, the better to meet the needs of those children. Thank you very much.