Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Feb 2023

Vol. 1032 No. 6

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

School Accommodation

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceist:

77. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she and her Department and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, have identified the number of places in special schools and special classes that will be required next September; if so, the number; and the number of places above and beyond what is currently available that will be required; and if all named parties are now beginning to analyse where it may be necessary to make use of legislation to compel schools rather than waiting until late spring. [5252/23]

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

In the late summer of last year, a lot of time was dedicated to ensuring there were adequate places in special schools and special classes. At the time, we all agreed it was important that this year we would be as far ahead of that as possible. That said, I have already heard from four or five families in my constituency, and I was just speaking to Deputy Clarke about Athlone and various parts of the country where children do not have a place for September. What is the plan for them? Has the number of children who do not have a place in a special class or special school for this coming September been identified?

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

I thank the Deputy for his question, which is important, in particular for me as Minister of State with responsibility for special education. The NCSE works very closely with the Department, parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.

The Deputy will be aware that in the past two to three years, the Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan and provide for sufficient places in special classes and special schools. I refer in particular to the Department's geographic information system, GIS, which supports a strategic and co-ordinated approach to planning and the delivery of special educational needs, SEN, provision. That includes real-time data on capacity across the school system, and it uses data from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, and elsewhere.

There is also updated technical guidance for building projects that involve special education provision, including guidance on reconfiguration, which is something schools ask about regarding existing accommodation. Where there is capacity to extend onto existing accommodation, that is something that is looked at prior to building a new building.

When I was appointed to this role, I wanted to make sure there was a commitment from the Department on future-proofing, which means that all post-primary schools with 1,000 students, for example, will have four special classes in the school and other large-scale projects and facilities will be provided in other schools on a pro rata basis. That means that in the future there will be capacity, in particular in post-primary schools, and we do not have the issue to which the Deputy referred in his contribution whereby we are scrambling to get places at the last minute. We are trying to prevent and mitigate against that.

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

There was a bit of that. It was fairly broad brush strokes. I have acknowledged and welcomed some of it in the past. The question is specifically about the number of places. As things stand, the NCSE should know how many places are available in special schools and special classes. It should also know how many children require those places. Anecdotally, on the ground, it seems that this year again there are more children than there are places. Could the Minister of State confirm that? Is she taking steps to address that for this September? In time, we should be in a situation where we could plan two years ahead. I know children and families in my area, and in Dublin and Athlone, who, as things stand, do not have a place. If there is going to be a section 37A or emergency schools opened, we need to be talking about this now not in May or June. How many extra places are needed and what is the Minister of State going to do about it or is it the NCSE's view that no additional places are needed?

Deputy Josepha Madigan

I am answering the Deputy's question because I am outlining to him the steps that are being undertaken, have been undertaken, and will continue to be undertaken, to ensure we have appropriate placements for the children.

I will give him specific statistics if he wishes, but I want to outline to the House what we are doing in terms of forward planning, which is a critical component of making sure that we have the appropriate placements in situ. Fee-charging schools is another area that we are looking at. As the Deputy will be aware, even Bandon Grammar School in Cork, which is a fee-charging school, is now opening a special class. We are looking to have that as a blueprint, along with the Spiritans, in other schools throughout the country. Modular accommodation is going in and there is the expansion of existing planning exemptions, which is critical as well. In addition, there are issues concerning project management.

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

The Minister of State offered to provide numbers. Given that such information was sought in the question, I would welcome some numbers in her final response.

I am aware of one particular child who is in a special junior school, who has applied to five or six different schools. The child does not have a place for September. I know other families whose children are in unsuitable places, who have home tuition and other such arrangements. I am aware that this is an issue in other areas. Given that Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan and other Deputies have similar questions tabled, as things stand, although last year was not as bad as the previous year, it does seem that this year again in Cork we may have an issue. The Minister of State has outlined the forecasting model and the GIS. The Department should be in a position to tell us how many places we have, how many we are missing and what we must do to fill the gap. How many places have we got? Is there a gap? What is the gap? That is the conversation we must have now so that we do not have it in May and June of this year.

Deputy Josepha Madigan

This is not just about the forecasting model. These are the new initiatives that we have undertaken. These initiatives are bearing fruit. We will have 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level and almost 300 new special classes at post-primary level. We have had five new special schools over the past three years. We can see clearly that it has had a major effect on what we are trying to achieve, especially in Cork.

We have 65 new special classes in Cork; 23 in Limerick; 24 in Meath; and 94 in Dublin. However, there is a focus on urban areas where demand is highest. It is a given that is important.

The NCSE website, ncse.ie, has a list of all schools that have special classes with the types and locations of these classes. That can be clearly seen. We have 2,544 special classes, which is an increase from 548 in 2011. The NCSE is collaborating with schools. We have written to all post-primary schools to ask them to open special classes. Once the child is known to the council, there should be no reason to fail to have an appropriate placement for that child.

School Transport

Seán Canney

Ceist:

78. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when the review of school transport will be completed; the plans that she has in place for the delivery of school transport in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2873/23]

Deputy Seán Canney

I wish to get an update from the Minister on when the school transport review will be finalised. The review commenced two years ago and is ongoing. The introduction of free school tickets for certain cohorts last year created a considerable problem for people trying to get on school buses and it is still having ramifications for families.

Minister for Education (Deputy Norma Foley)

The school transport scheme is a significant operation, managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 147,900 children, including more than 18,000 children and young people with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for more than 3,800 children and young people who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €332.2 million.

A review of the school transport scheme has been commenced. The review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme with regard to its broader effectiveness and sustainability and to ensuring that it serves students and their families. Significant consultation has been undertaken as part of this review. A public survey was administered for parents, guardians and students who use the service and, equally as important, for those who do not use the service but wish to have access to it. A broad array of stakeholders, including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Departments were consulted as part of the review.

Phase 1 of the review is complete. It examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but were attending their next nearest school.

Following consideration of this report for the 2021-22 school year, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport, but were attending their second-nearest school and had applied and paid on time. These measures have been continued for the 2022-23 school year, pending completion of the review. They mean transport is provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second-nearest school; applied for school transport by 29 April 2022 and registered for a ticket by 29 July 2022.

Phase 2 of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase 3, which has commenced.

While work on the review was impacted somewhat by the current conflict in Ukraine, and by the increased demand for the scheme in summer 2022 due to the waiving of fees, my officials are working to complete phase 3 of the review within the coming weeks with recommendations on the future operation of the scheme. Once approved by Government, it is planned that the review will be published.

Planning for the operation of the scheme for the 2023-24 year is expected to be completed shortly-----

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Bernard J. Durkan)

Go raibh maith agat.

Deputy Seán Canney

I thank the Minister for the update. The review has been going on since 2021. I know a considerable body of work has to be done, but what I am hearing from the bus operators, Bus Éireann and everybody else is that they need to have a plan in place for next September as to what is being done. They need it in February, rather than it remaining to be decided in March, April or another time. Mayhem occurred last year because the announcements were made late on what would be done and with regard to more free transport. There is nothing wrong with free transport, except that it has to be planned properly. The school transport system serves a considerable cohort of people in both mainstream and special needs school. It is important that it should run as smoothly as possible.

Deputy Norma Foley

The Deputy is correct. Some 147,900 young people benefit from the scheme. He is also right that the review is a considerable body of work. Phase 1 has been completed. The consultation alone involved consulting with thousands of parents. It also involved consultation with stakeholders, providers in the area and with best practice with regard to what is happening in other European countries. A phenomenal body of work has been completed. Phase 2 is also complete and phase 3 has begun. It is our expectation that it will be completed in the coming weeks.

The Deputy will be aware that we introduced a temporary alleviation measure as part of the process. We did so not just for 2021 and 2022, but continued it into 2022 and 2023. A considerable body of work has been undertaken. I will accept it was possibly impacted by what is happening in Ukraine with regard to making additional services available, but our expectation is that the work will be completed in the coming weeks.

Deputy Seán Canney

The biggest problem that happened last year and continues to happen is that we have school buses going to school not full. Children who were getting concessionary tickets cannot get on these buses because they are not getting a concessionary ticket now. This was partly due to the fact they applied on time but were refunded their money and had to do something again by July. They had to press some button or something. The system has been unforgiving.

Many parents thought that because they had applied to the scheme, that was it. There was some other anomaly or glitch in the system. It means that for families in my constituency and throughout the country, parents have had to make alternative work arrangements to get their children to school. They feel discommoded by the fact they had discretionary tickets that they were prepared to pay for and were entitled to. While money was made available last October for those passengers, the scheme has not been fulfilled for everybody because the buses are not there. We then have the situation where there are buses with vacant seats on them going to schools and parents are driving after the buses in cars with their children.

Deputy Norma Foley

I appreciate the Deputy's points. As a consequence of what was introduced last year, we have seen a 25% increase in provision of places for students on the school bus system, that is, 25,600 places and there has been a 26% increase in the allocation of special education places. There has been a considerable increase in availability of places in the school transport system.

I take the Deputy's point about tickets being allocated, but they were allocated to people who fulfilled the criteria. He will be aware that the criteria are based on whether the students at primary level were 3.2 km from their school or students at post-primary level were 4.8 km from their nearest or next-nearest school. Distance from the schools and paying on time were the criteria.

Seats are empty for a variety of reasons. Schools may open or close at different times. Thus, there will be additional capacity at a given time. Parents, on a given day, might make themselves available to take a child to school. I cannot interfere with that process. I appreciate what the Deputy said about the application process and its being difficult. That is all part of the review process. It is our expectation the review process will be completed in the coming weeks.

School Textbooks

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceist:

79. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if free schoolbooks will be available to primary schools in September; if so, when the payment schedule will issue to schools; and if she will outline the discussions she has had with booksellers and publishers. [5253/23]

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Sinn Féin has been talking about free school books for primary school for many years. It has been in place in the North for approximately 70 years. I certainly welcomed the announcement in the budget that it was to be considered for this September. Schools are beginning to wonder how they get themselves organised. I received a written answer from the Minister recently that put a small bit more meat on the bone of what she had outlined previously. However, schools are still very unsure how this will happen, not to mind bookshops and publishers. Will she shine a bit more light on how this will work? That would be great.

Deputy Norma Foley

My Department’s statement of strategy sets out the vision and mission of the Department for an educational system where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. Its goal is to ensure equity of opportunity in education and that all pupils are supported to fulfil their potential. Since June 2020, and over the past three budgets, I have secured funding to support measures aimed at achieving and sustaining that goal. As part of budget 2023, I announced a €50 million provision to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from next September. This is a significant investment and further reflects the Government’s commitment to a quality and inclusive school system with improved learning outcomes for every pupil.

The Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families. This free schoolbooks measure will eliminate the cost to these families for all school books at primary school, including workbooks. It delivers on the programme for Government commitment to extend the free school book pilot which is currently in place in a number of DEIS primary schools. The free primary school books scheme will benefit up to 540,000 pupils in approximately 3,240 recognised primary schools, including over 130 special schools.

The implementation of the measure will build on the existing school book rental scheme which is available in some 96% of recognised primary schools and has been in place for many years. Schools buy books directly from school book suppliers at present as part of the implementation of the existing school book rental scheme. My Department will also consider the information and experience from the schools involved in the free school book pilot for the past three years.

My Department has been engaging with relevant stakeholders including teacher unions, management bodies and representatives of school book publishers and booksellers in order to inform and plan for the roll out of the measure. Engagement has already commenced and I will meet with all stakeholders imminently.

Detailed guidance for primary schools on the operation of the free schoolbooks measure is being developed and, together with the funding, will be provided to schools to support the purchase of the books and resources in time for the start of the 2023-24 school year. It is recognised that this work will have to commence in schools after the Easter break.

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

I ask the Minister to repeat the last part of her answer and outline exactly what is happening after the Easter break. That is relatively late in the school year for some primary schools.

I agree with a lot of what she said. She certainly will not find me saying that this is a bad idea. We have been talking about it for long enough and it is a good idea. It will reduce the burden on parents and level the playing field to a certain extent. A lot more needs to be done to reduce the costs for parents in respect of voluntary contributions and so on, but free school books is a good idea and I would love to see it extended to secondary schools.

The last time we discussed this, we were back and forth about the education partners and I am glad that the Minister is now engaging with publishers and booksellers, which is important. In the response I received to a written question, it seems that this programme will build on the book rental scheme and is currently planned on the basis that funds will be provided directly to schools to purchase schoolbooks and related classroom resources. That is the way it will be rolled out. Schools are going to get cash and are going to buy the books from their local bookshop. Schools are asking me when they are going to get the payment schedule. In a primary school with 700 children, for example, there is a fair bit of administration involved.

Deputy Norma Foley

I appreciate the Deputy's support and want to acknowledge that there has been almost unanimous support within the Chamber for this measure. He is correct and I am conscious that the information needs to be in schools soon so that they have the opportunity to do what needs to be done in terms of the scheme. I recognise that schools will need to have this information available to them after the Easter break and we are working towards that schedule. As I have outlined to the Deputy, it is important that proper consultation takes place. We have had consultation with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, INTO, the Irish Educational Publishers Association and Booksellers Ireland.

The Deputy also referenced post-primary schools. Initially, this is a primary-led initiative and there will be great learning from it. It is my hope and expectation that we will have an opportunity, going forward, to extend it to the post-primary sector. I also want to acknowledge that the package provided to schools will be based on the learnings that we had from the book rental scheme and the free book pilot scheme that we ran across 102 DEIS primary schools. This provides a significant learning opportunity, combined with what we will learn from the publishers.

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

I agree that there must be consultation, and I was saying that before Christmas, but there is a balance to be struck in that regard. Hopefully, we can get a payment schedule for schools as soon as possible so that they can go out and buy the books.

Has the Department looked at the question of e-books? They could play a role in the context of parents' concerns about the weight of schoolbags. Is that part of the discussion here and where is that likely to fall?

Deputy Norma Foley

Schools will have the autonomy to purchase the books from their nearest and local provider, or whomever they have an existing relationship with. I am conscious that many schools have strong relationships with their local bookshop or local book provider and that autonomy will continue. The schools will make the decision as to where they will source the books.

The funding that is being provided is specifically for the provision of textbooks and workbooks. Schools make their own policy around whether they use e-books or textbooks but the funding will be made available on the basis of the provision of appropriate textbooks and workbooks. Schools will continue to have autonomy to decide with whom they will do business in the provision of those books. If they have an existing relationship with a local provider, they will have the freedom to make a decision to continue that relationship with that local provider.

Schools Building Projects

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

80. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a timeline for the completion of works on a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5402/23]

Deputy Carol Nolan

Last August, I engaged with the Minister to seek clarification on a timeframe in respect of a school, Gaelscoil na Laochra in Birr, County Offaly. I would be grateful if she could give me an update on this project, which is long overdue and which needs to be brought to a successful conclusion at this point.

Deputy Norma Foley

I acknowledge the Deputy's engagement on, and interest in, this particular project. I am pleased to advise that the project on a greenfield site was approved for delivery by my Department for the school in question. The project provides for four mainstream classrooms and one special education needs, SEN, base under the Department's timber modular framework. The site was transferred from Solas to the Minister for Education at nil cost, in line with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars regarding the transfer and disposal of State assets. The project has been devolved for delivery to Laois Offaly Education and Training Board, LOETB.

Under my Department’s service level agreement with LOETB, the ETB has responsibility for communicating progress on the project to the school authorities concerned. A design team was appointed to guide the project through the stages of architectural planning and tendering, with the ultimate goal of proceeding to construction in a timely manner.

The project will employ my Department’s timber modular framework, which is manufactured to comply with the Department’s technical guidance documents. These are available on the Department’s website. The project will achieve a low embodied carbon footprint that will meet or exceed 2030 targets contained within Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland, RIAI, 2030 climate challenge target metrics for new-build schools published in October 2021. My Department's professional and technical officers are working closely with design teams on this project and others employing this innovative technology.

My Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022, notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. This is evidenced by the fact that there are currently 300 school building projects at construction stage and a further 1,000 at pre-construction stage, including the project referred to by the Deputy. The Department will continue to review its ongoing enrolment requirements for 2023 and the associated work programme.

The particular project raised by her is currently at planning application stage with a final decision to be made in late February. The Department is currently examining needs for the 2023-24 school year as part of its overall assessment of our work programme.

Deputy Carol Nolan

I thank the Minister for her detailed response and welcome the fact that progress is being made. However, this has been frustrating for all involved in the school community, including teachers, students and parents. The school opened its doors in 2015 and while the Minister has outlined the progress that has been made, which I welcome, we owe it to the school to make sure that there is constant monitoring of progress and a timeframe is put in place for each step that will follow after the planning process has concluded. That is only fair and right because the school needs to be able to plan ahead for increased demand.

At this point, however, a timeframe outlining the steps and providing a sense of when we are going to reach the end line needs to be given to the school. The only way to do that is to provide a timeframe and a schedule. I acknowledge that the Department has engaged with An Foras Pátrúnachta but there is a need for constant engagement and communication. Everyone needs to be kept up to speed.

Deputy Norma Foley

I appreciate the Deputy's acknowledgement that considerable progress has been made. The design team has been appointed and the project is currently at planning stage. These are all positive landmarks for the school community. The project was devolved to the ETB, which is charged with responsibility for informing the patrons of the progress of the project as it is ongoing. I acknowledge the importance of the project and I accept that the school awaits it in anticipation but there is a clear line of progress that needs to be followed, particularly in the area of planning. I acknowledge the work of the ETB in this regard, given that the project has devolved to it. We will move the project with the priority that can be afforded to it, giving consideration to the various hurdles it has to jump. I acknowledge the Deputy's personal interest in this, along with Deputies Fleming, Cowen and Flanagan and everybody else who has come to me in respect of it. The ETB will progress this as it is devolved to it. We would like to see it happening as quickly as possible.

Deputy Carol Nolan

I thank the Minister for her response and her commitment to ensuring the project gets over the line. As she stated, conveyancing is at an advanced stage and that is certainly welcome. I have been raising this issue on the floor of the House not just last year or the year before that but for many years and I am committed to seeing it over the line. However, an information vacuum still exists at times in respect of timeframes and how things will move after the planning stage has concluded. An Foras Pátrúnachta, the ETB and the school community should be told when they can expect the school to be built and open. The lease is running out on the current accommodation and, seven years after opening its doors, the school is still in limbo.

Deputy Norma Foley

I acknowledge the excellence of education that is being delivered there every day. I also acknowledge the expectation of school communities that we would deliver as quickly as possible. From the point of view of the ETB, given that the project is devolved to it, there are particular steps that have to be taken, whether that is in terms of design, planning or whatever. It is positive that the decision in respect of planning is to be made at the end of the month. That will be a landmark moment in the development of the project going forward. It will be expedited as quickly as possible. I acknowledge the Deputy's personal commitment to the project, along with Deputies Cowen and Flanagan and the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming. It would be remiss of me not to include the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, in that regard. I know the public representatives, along with the school and wider community, are significantly invested in this. It will be a landmark when planning is received in late February.

Disabilities Assessments

Joan Collins

Ceist:

81. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if her Department has completed its review from the 63 schools that piloted filling out the education component of the assessment of need; if it is the intention of her Department to roll out this process beyond the pilot scheme; if so, when; and if a school (details supplied) was included in the pilot scheme. [5479/23]

Deputy Joan Collins

In reply to a written question on this issue, the Minister stated the trial involving 63 schools was completed in December. Has the Department completed its review relating to the 63 schools that piloted filling out the education component of the assessment of need, AON? Does the Department intend to roll out the process beyond the pilot scheme? If so, when? Was a particular school, the details of which I have supplied to the Minister, included in the pilot scheme?

Deputy Josepha Madigan

I thank the Deputy for her topical question. The AON process is provided for under the Disability Act and is under the remit of the HSE. The Deputy will be aware that there was a court decision and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is now required to assist the HSE purely in respect of the educational assessment of the needs of children who have applied to the HSE for an AON. In complying with this requirement, the NCSE will work with schools, which already hold extensive information arising from teachers' everyday practice in assessing their students and differentiating the curriculum to meet their educational needs. As the Deputy is aware, such information is currently collated and held by schools on the student support plan.

Specifically on the Deputy's question, the Department and the NCSE have worked intensively to ensure the process put in place to support the educational component of the AON fulfils legal obligations and is rooted in existing assessment practices in schools. A trial commenced last June involved 63 schools, as the Deputy stated. That trial period was extended to encompass 80 schools. My officials and I are very grateful to all those who participated, particularly the 80 schools that assisted in the process and provided detailed feedback on the guidance documents and the process. That feedback was incorporated into the guidance documents and the form itself.

The Deputy may be aware that the revised documents and the report of education needs form issued to schools yesterday, 1 February. When schools receive requests from the NCSE to complete that form, it is intended that they can use the revised forms and support documents. I recognise it is a new process for schools and we are anxious to support them through the NCSE and our officials.

Deputy Joan Collins

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. She stated that, since yesterday, the NCSE will write to any school that needs an education assessment on the AON. In October, the Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO, AsIAm and other organisations such as Inclusion Ireland expressed concern about this process. AsIAm stated the Department of Education and its agencies require education assessments for various supports, including access to reasonable accommodation and exams. The Department has clearly defined in practice that an educational assessment is a process led by educational psychologists, not a principal compiling data already at his or her disposal. The INTO had significant concerns, including in respect of workload, lack of training, pressure on teachers and principals and the potential impact. Has the Minister of State held discussions with the INTO and AsIAm in respect of the process?

Deputy Josepha Madigan

The INTO was involved, along with other education partners. In fact, it welcomed assurances from the Department in respect of the new process yesterday. It issued a press statement stating that it is important "the new process for reporting of education needs will not be used as a replacement for assessments undertaken by educational psychologists and other health professionals". Obviously, there is concern relating to the general waiting times in terms of services and all that. The INTO stated it will be monitoring everything through monthly meetings and engaging with the Department and the NCSE until there is a review. That is an important point from the perspective of the Deputy. The Department is committed to monitoring the impact of the process but there will be a review at the end of the school year, in June, to see how everything has rolled out in the preceding months.

Deputy Joan Collins

AsIAm notes the inclusion of "carry out" in the wording of the Act and states that the process principals were being asked to do does not sound like conducting an assessment but, rather, simply collating existing information. It went on to say that even if principals had the knowledge and felt confident to do the assessment, there would be a conflict of interest. Principals assign the additional needs resources within a school and should not also be responsible for assessing what is needed.

AsIAm states the process would make relationships between school and home more fraught. We saw what happened to waiting lists when the agency tried to water down the required AON process. The court struck this down and so many thousands of assessments had to be redone, greatly extending the times.

The Minister of State said following up with an educational psychiatrist is only a stopgap. Is it? Is there a timeline in which the child can get an educational psychologist's AON?

Deputy Josepha Madigan

There is no stopgap. This is purely in relation to the educational component of the assessment of need, not the health component. The review in June and monthly monitoring will be important, as will engagement with the Department and NCSE.

There are supports available for schools. There is detailed AON guidance and a short video, and there are also email supports and a health line. If further supports are deemed necessary during the implementation phase and the monitoring of the process, the Department and NCSE must commit to providing them to individual schools. From the feedback we have received, the form takes only between 20 and 30 minutes to complete at primary level and maybe up to 60 minutes at post-primary level. All the feedback has been collated and included in the revised documents. We are confident they will work and that schools will embrace them.