C.M. v Health Service Executive (Unapproved)

Donnelly J.���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Neutral Citation Number [2021] IECA 283

The appellant, a child, seeks to determine whether he is entitled to an assessment of his educational needs under s. 8(3) of the Disability Act.� The respondent, the Health Service Executive, in turn, submits that, so far as educational needs are concerned s. 8(3) only refers to adults and that the specific reference to children in s. 8(9) provides a separate pathway for children to have their educational needs assessed.� At present, this pathway could be described as a cul de sac as relevant provisions of the EPSEN Act have not been commenced.��

I will next set out in general terms the legal framework provided for Disability Act assessments and for the EPSEN Act assessments.� I would comment at this stage that in so far as the health needs (and the educational needs of adults) of applicants are concerned, the process set out in the Disability Act is relatively straight forward compared with the assessment processes set out in the EPSEN Act.� The interpretation of where and how those Acts interlink is made all the more difficult by the inherent complexity of the EPSEN Act provisions.

The Council�s functions were more limited with respect to adults in the EPSEN Act, as enacted. �Section 20(h) and (i) of the EPSEN Act provided for the following functions:

�(h) to review generally the provision made for adults with disabilities to avail of ��higher education and adult continuing education, rehabilitation and training and to publish reports on the results of such reviews (which reviews may include recommendations as to the manner in which such provision could be improved);