First, I support the motion brought before us today by Sinn Féin. Every year there is a scramble for families of children with disabilities to access special educational places, which is their constitutional right. In Mayo, it is no different. Many families are panicking, chasing SENOs and ringing school principals and the NCSE. That is what it is happening. The level of anxiety is frightening. Such families attend my clinics, but what should I say to them? It is devastating. These are our most vulnerable children who are being forgotten about. It is so upsetting. The problem is not an information problem; the Minister and the Department have the data and statistics. The gaps are visible, yet every year there is a scramble. The most recent reports outline that up to 1,200 children could be without a place. I urge the Minister to ensure that she has a workplace plan in place because, clearly, there has not been one in the Department. That is fundamental. The Department needs to get a grip of the data. It needs to ensure that it knows what is coming down the track for next year and the year after and plans and prepares accordingly. For the children entering school this September, it is quite clear that the Government up to now has no provision or plan in place. I urge the Minister to ensure that she gets a handle of the situation and the data. She must ensure there is a plan, rather than a scramble, in place for children this September, as well as those children starting in September 12 and 24 months from now. The Minister must be able to say to families that there is a place for them and that the Government will look after them. These are our most vulnerable children and if we cannot do that in this day and age, we should hang our heads in shame. I will speak about the SNA situation. The current circular is completely outdated, restrictive and cruel. It is incredible that it took people - SNAs and families with disabilities - protesting outside Leinster House to make this Government realise what was happening. A review was being undertaken which would have seen on-the-ground cuts, essentially, and it took families standing on Kildare Street and raising their voices for this Government to realise what was happening. The same happened with the protests last week. I urge the Government to listen to the people. The people of this country should not have to blockade infrastructure or spend hours outside Leinster House to get this Government to wake up and listen. I am asking the Minister to ensure that the circular is updated, that the invaluable contribution SNAs make is recognised and that there is a move away from this restrictive model dictated in the 2014 circular. I also ask the Minister to advance the SNA redeployment scheme. It is fundamentally important. It happens in a range of other professional sectors and for professionals across the country. It should also happen for SNA cohorts as well. SNAs are looking for increased continuing professional development, CPD. They want training as their role is expanding massively. They want to professionalise. They want job security and clear contracts. It is important the Minister ensures that happens. Finally, I will raise the important issue of assistive technology for children with special educational needs. I ask for the attention of the Minister in this regard. The family and school of a young child who is in primary school have applied for assistive technology. His occupational therapist and language therapist have outlined that he needs it. The report clearly states that this is essential for this child to access the curriculum. It does not state that this is helpful. It does not state that this is preferable; it states that this is essential. However, the application was rejected and refused by the Department. The refusal ultimately cites two things: first, insufficient evidence of a specific language disorder, despite the fact that the child has such immense difficulties; and, second, it appears that it is necessary for a child to have an IQ above 90. Here is the catch. The speech and language disorder is one route to access this under the 2013 curricular, but to be assessed for a speech and language disorder a child must have an IQ of above 90. This child's IQ is in the region of the fifties. He is not going to meet that threshold but two therapists have said that it is essential for the child. Down Syndrome Ireland has confirmed to me that is not an outlier or unique case. I have submitted parliamentary questions to the Minister. She has stated that a review is under way. This is a review for a basic grant that is essential for a child to access the curriculum. What is going on? When will the review happen? When will this child be able to access assistive technology that he so desperately needs?

Sentiment score: -0.03