Special Educational Needs
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-17
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Michael Moynihan (FF), Cork North-West

I thank the Senator for raising the issue. There is a script that will be sent around. It goes through the various documentation going back to over 30 years ago. SLD, other issues and developmental language disorders are part of it. From the special education point of view, across government we passionately believe that if we invest properly in special education and education for people who need additional educational supports, we will empower children, families and the State into the future. The Senator may have seen over the past number of months the various debates we have had between our Department and across government on further funding. He knows my bona fides on this and the issues we need to meet head on. I look at the education system, CDNTs and the other support mechanisms in place. One of the first decisions we took a year ago was about having therapies in schools rather than with any other body. That is to try to ensure children have the best possible supports within education.
I have met a number of groups representing people with Down's syndrome. I met national groups and parents over the past number of months. They all pinpoint the specific challenges or specific references to the circular. The circular was issued early in 2025. It is being reviewed to make sure the aims when it was issued meet the needs of the children. I know the great enabler for children with speech difficulties or disorders is to provide the support to get them verbal. As the Senator rightly said, that opens up a new chapter for them. I understand that. My role is Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion. If I am serious about it, it has to be inclusive of everybody. We have to have rules and regulations around how we operate but they have to be as inclusive as possible across the system to ensure everybody has access to education. Previous Ministers met them. They are taken by the points made. I am aware of the high level engagement the Senator has as well and condensing that down to the blockages. I can go through the circulars, different stages in the Department and the work that has been done. We constantly review whether, by trying to be inclusive, we are excluding. Reading classes or classes that allow and help speech are valued by families. I take the Senator's point. We constantly review to ensure we provide positive, inclusive education.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-17