How do parties differ on education in their manifestos?

If politicians on the campaign trail are being asked about anything related to education it is most likely to be an issue related to special educational needs.

The issues here include delays in assessments of needs, the lack of therapeutic services, and the ongoing shortage of special school places for children with conditions such as autism.

Promises made in party manifestos are just that, promises, but what do the parties say in their manifestos about special educational needs and what policies or ideas do they prioritise in those documents?

The two largest and current Government parties both say they want to provide access to therapies to children within their schools and during the school day.

This service was removed from schools more than six years ago as part of a programme called Progressing Disabilities which aimed to move therapeutic services out of schools and into the community.

The current Government has only just begun to try and reverse that.

Fianna Fáil says it will roll out the first national therapy service in education, with therapists providing therapies in schools.

"We will start with special schools, special classes and DEIS Plus schools", its manifesto promises.

Fine Gael writes about developing a "Dedicated Therapy Service".

"We will establish a dedicated therapy service for students in all special schools and extend over time to special classes within mainstream schools", it states.

In its manifesto, Sinn Féin puts its focus on giving greater powers to the National Council for Special Education (NEPS) "to ensure that sufficient, appropriate school places and classes are provided, and the needs of children are met alongside robust appeals mechanisms".

The Labour Party has prioritised legal rights. It says it will update legislation dating back to 2004 (the Special Educational Needs or EPSEN Act) which was passed but never fully implemented.

The party says it will "introduce a right to assessment of educational needs and individual education plans".

The Social Democrats too says the EPSEN Act "must be progressed to ensure a rights-based approach to disability".

Among its promises around special education, the Green Party says it will "ensure better planning of the need for ASD/special education classes at primary and secondary level".

Aontú in its manifesto says it will "demand" that "The government tackle long waiting lists for additional support and assessments for Special Educational Needs".

People Before Profit says it will increase the number of psychologists employed in the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and also increase the number of SNAs and Special Education teachers in schools.

Some of the party manifestos have a lot more to say on the issue of special education and what they feel needs to be done. They also address a number of other issues across education and they have a lot to say on these issues too.

Funding

When it comes to funding Sinn Féin says it will "end schools" reliance on so-called voluntary contributions by increasing annual core capitation funding and the ancillary services grant to schools by €150m and legislating to end the contributions.

Fianna Fáil says it will "continue to increase capitation funding for schools so that they have more resources for each pupil".

The party says it will "increase capitation by 40%".

Fine Gael says it will make education "more affordable" by expanding free school meals and free school books as well.

These are both policies already put in place by the current Government.

Among its promises, the Social Democrats too say they will provide capitation grants "at such a level as to remove the need for voluntary contributions" and fully fund "all textbooks and resources".

People Before Profit says it will "abolish all charges and provide free school books and uniforms".

The Labour Party says it will "seek to introduce a universal Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance with provision of free uniforms where those are used".

When it comes to funding the Green Party prioritises capital funding, saying it will increase investment "to provide for new primary and secondary schools, and new ASD/special education classes attached to mainstream schools".

Third-level student fees

When it comes to third-level education most of the party manifestos have a lot to say, and make many promises and proposals.

Most of the parties promise to phase out or abolish student fees.

Fine Gael will phase them out, as will the Social Democrats and Labour, with Labour specifying "undergraduate fees".

Sinn Féin and People Before Profit say they will "abolish" them.

Fianna Fáil is silent on student fees but promises to increase the SUSI grant and "reform eligibility".

The Green Party talks about a possible reduction in fees to aid the purchase of a bicycle.

Independent Ireland wants to introduce a student loan scheme, and amend means tests for SUSI grants "to take pressure off the middle class".

Common ground

Naturally, there are differences between the parties as to how they plan to approach challenges in education. But across many of the party manifestos, there is also evidence of considerable common ground.

Most of the parties; Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, Labour, and People Before Profit promise to give additional supports to the state's most disadvantaged DEIS schools for instance.

On curricular reforms in general many of the parties who had TDs in the 33rd Dáil give a thumbs-up.

Fianna Fáil writes about "further reform", Fine Gael says it will "continue reforms".

On recently updated social, personal and health education curriculums some parties express explicit support and no political party expresses opposition to the programmes or calls for them to be altered in any way.