Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have spoken to Deputy O'Sullivan about this issue before. He is aware that several meetings took place last autumn between the Department, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, the school management and the Cope Foundation, which is a patron of Scoil Aislinn special school located on the Boreenmanna Road in Ballintemple, Cork. Those meetings explored the possibility of expanding Scoil Aislinn special school, as well as other options, including the suitability of using Montenotte House as a location to facilitate, hopefully, the enrolment of children without a school placement. A meeting with the Cope Foundation was due to be held in February and I will get details on that for the Deputy. It is important that we try to work with an existing school regarding school places. The NCSE is aware of about 20 children who are not in school, require special school places and are now availing of the home tuition scheme. I will send details of the meeting in February to the Deputy.