Special education places in Dublin
Deputy Burton highlighted reports on children, including the autism school-absence survey and pressure on special education provision, and the issue was taken up after an interruption. The Tánaiste said the NCSE is aware of demand for additional special classes and special schools and is working with relevant agencies.
Yesterday two reports on children were published. We have just heard about one of them, on the cost overrun on the national children's hospital and the additional €400 million to €500 million being incurred by taxpayers as a consequence of the lack of management of the project. The second was on a survey published yesterday by the charity AsIAm entitled, Invisible Children – Survey on School Absence & Withdrawal in Ireland’s Autism Community. It contains a series of surveys of absence and withdrawal from school of children with autism. This year we are facing a really severe crisis. In Dublin 7 and Dublin 15 in my constituency no school places will be found for an estimated 40 to 60 children with a very high level of need, unless a small autism-specific school is developed for these children who may have not just autism but also other conditions, including behavioural issues. Does the Government propose to do anything about the children being expelled from schools, refused access to schools and having to stay at home and receiving little or no education?
Comment on this
I think we have an impersonator in the Dáil Chamber to talk about children, given what happened to lone parents when she was Minister.
Comment on this
I am not sure what the Deputy is talking about.
On the previous question, I should have said to Deputy McDonald that we were hoping to have a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, BIIGC, in the coming weeks.
To respond to Deputy Burton's question, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is aware of the recent demand for additional special class and special school placements in the Dublin area. The council is actively engaged with schools, school patrons, parents, the National Educational Psychological Service, health professionals and others who are involved in the provision of services for children with special educational needs to ensure each child will have a school placement appropriate to his or her needs in the 2019-20 school year. This work is ongoing and the Department is liaising closely with the NCSE in that regard.