Special education and CAMHS age-out issues
Deputy Bacik pressed for an urgent debate on special education and warned that children with autism are waiting too long for supports. The Minister responded on the need for action, but the Chair repeatedly cut across the discussion for time. The exchange then moved to CAMHS age limits, with Deputy Boyd Barrett describing a young person being forced out of adolescent treatment at 18 and Minister Butler saying a subcommittee is examining the ageing-out problem.
On Tuesday, the Labour Party called for an urgent debate this week on special education, given the mounting issues in the area. We are very disappointed that the Government did not support the proposal put forward by my colleague Deputy Ó Ríordáin to amend the Order of Business to have the debate this week. We are glad it is being scheduled for two weeks' time but the reality is that every week counts for children with autism and their parents. We are very deeply concerned that the right to an education is not being vindicated for many children, including the almost 270 with autism who are without an appropriate school place for this coming September. We are concerned that the Government is simply not according this the urgent priority it requires. The Government is not a bystander in this, yet we heard a proposal to introduce so-called special educational needs centres, which apparently has now been jettisoned. We are hearing about delays in assessments for children and in allocation of special needs assistants, so we believe the Government priorities are not sufficiently urgently targeted. What emergency measures will be introduced to give relief to parents and, most important, children?
Comment on this
Every Deputy in this House has an interest in this subject and every party has a commitment to do what it can for young people with autism or on the spectrum. As recently as Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Simon Harris, introduced significant new legislative measures regarding autistic people in universities. I have to be careful because I have a special interest. I had a son in a special educational needs centre school. It was brilliant. Some people probably need that sort of special education. We cannot mainstream everyone. There will be occasions when we will need special schools for those with autism. I know these schools. They are doing an incredible job; that is my personal experience. However, we also need mainstream schools. The Deputy and I know this from our constituency more than any others. The problem is worse in Dublin 2, 4 and 6, and perhaps Dublin 15, than elsewhere but it does not belong to any one party or group. There has been a massive increase in expenditure.
Comment on this
It is still not enough, particularly in education centres. From personal experience, I believe the connection between the health and education systems is poor in this area.