David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and encourage and support the work she is doing to set up a special school in the area. I agree on integration but am aware that some special schools in Cork city, where these children have to go, have waiting lists, so we have children with no place. I appeal to the Minister of State to talk to the NCSE to get this work done quickly. I know what happens in Departments. They set up a study and another study, it goes on forever and nothing happens. We want a deadline on this.

There is a site available at the moment. The Minister of State could have a school up there in September 2023 if the decision was taken to do it. There are waiting lists in some of the schools, there is pressure on these parents and they already have so much stress dealing with children with intense additional needs. They need support and it is wrong, as the Minister of State agrees, that these children have to travel long distances away from their areas every day to get the support they need.

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