Before moving to the main discussion I would like to bring some correspondence to the attention of members and place it in the public domain, as discussed.
I refer to an e-mail from Mr. Brendan Hennigan, principal of St. Joseph's special school, Balrothery, Tallaght, County Dublin, asking the joint committee to raise the issue of special needs assistants and teacher reductions with the Minister for Education and Science. I suggest in the first instance that the clerk should send an e-mail to the Minister seeking a written response to the issues raised. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Following on from this correspondence, which was discussed in private session, the joint committee came to the conclusion that the broader issue of the reports currently being carried out by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, as well as its policies and the possible need to update the SERC report, have expedited the requirement for that body to appear before the joint committee to outline its policy and how it operates locally. This would provide an opportunity to members to put questions to the NCSE. Is that agreed? Agreed. In this context, given that St. Joseph's and a number of other schools have been mentioned, I have asked the clerk to write to members so that they can respond to me by 2 March, indicating which schools would be relevant to a discussion on this issue in advance of the NCSE's appearance. Is that agreed? Agreed. I then will go through those schools and will try to get a good geographical spread. Is it agreed to postpone the meeting scheduled for 11 March and that representatives from both the special schools and the NCSE should be invited to appear on that date? Agreed.