Carol Nolan calls out failures in special education supports
Carol Nolan criticised special education provision, saying the system is discriminatory and deeply inequitable in funding and resources. She highlighted urgent shortages of therapy supports at Offaly School of Special Education and urged action in light of the Epson Review.
Carol Nolan said the current special education system is far from inclusive and described it as discriminatory. She argued the system is not equitable and highlighted deep inequities in funding and resource allocations.
She raised the condition of Offaly School of Special Education in her constituency as an immediate example. The school is described as crying out for new accommodation and lacking essential therapy supports, including occupational therapy and speech therapy.
Carol Nolan referenced the publication of the Epson Review and noted that the minister said SEN education should be inclusive, equitable and responsive to all children. She warned that recommendations such as considering a single piece of legislation for school-aged children mean little if urgent local needs are ignored.
She called for immediate assistance to special schools and for therapists to be put in place, insisting that authorities must listen to the Offaly School of Special Education and other special schools around the state that need urgent support.
Main criticism
Carol Nolan said the current special education system is far from inclusive and described it as discriminatory. She argued the system is not equitable and highlighted deep inequities in funding and resource allocations.
Offaly School of Special Education
She raised the condition of Offaly School of Special Education in her constituency as an immediate example. The school is described as crying out for new accommodation and lacking essential therapy supports, including occupational therapy and speech therapy.
Epson Review and the minister's remarks
Carol Nolan referenced the publication of the Epson Review and noted that the minister said SEN education should be inclusive, equitable and responsive to all children. She warned that recommendations such as considering a single piece of legislation for school-aged children mean little if urgent local needs are ignored.
Call for urgent action
She called for immediate assistance to special schools and for therapists to be put in place, insisting that authorities must listen to the Offaly School of Special Education and other special schools around the state that need urgent support.
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Transcript
special education is one area where we can see a lack of action and indeed a chronic lack of supports for children with needs. On the publication of the Epson Review, Minister McEntee rightly noted that the SEN education should be inclusive, equitable and more importantly responsive to the needs of all children. Unfortunately what we have at the moment is a system that is far from being inclusive and it is unfortunately discriminatory. It is not in any way equitable but it is rather deeply inequitable in its funding and resource allocations. Offaly School of Special Education in my own constituency is crying out for new accommodation and it is shameful to see what is happening in that school in terms of the lack of therapy supports for children, occupational therapy and speech therapy that children so badly need. What is the point of talking about the reviews recommendation here to consider bringing all school children or school-aged children under a single piece of legislation if we are not going to listen to the Offaly School of Special Education and other special schools around this state who need urgent assistance and need to ensure that therapists are in place. Thank you. Deputy Gillian