Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like to refer to special needs grants in this context. We know that every school in the State is under strain and stress because of shortages. The Chair has indicated that we will ask the Department what process or mechanism it uses for auditing school grants. Perhaps this is done through boards of management or through inspections. There is a need to ensure every single grant under every heading is spent in the right department of the school in accordance with the procedures. We should ask the Department how it supervises and inspects school expenditure. Maybe it can furnish us with the relevant details. How many cases have been brought to its attention? Did it investigate them? What was the outcome? If several cases were brought to its attention in the past, what has been done since then to ensure these problems have not continued?