Ms Áine Lynch:

On the two-year period for children with special educational needs, more planning is needed, but is about putting more resources into that area rather than extending the process to two years on the basis that one does not want to inadvertently disadvantage children with special educational needs because all of a sudden their parents have to make a choice much earlier. A great deal can happen within families in two years. We need to make sure there are no unintended consequences of any decisions. It would be better for applications to be processed with more resources, better planning and earlier planning with regard to the child's needs.

On the school planning, I know of a lot of areas where this issue arises. In one case, a new housing development is across the road from a school but it is not in the catchment area of that school. It is exactly as described by the Deputy. It is similar to the situation described by Ms Fanning in regard to Wexford where the local principals have come together to work that through. I agree with the Deputy that we need a better process in place for schools to manage that such that local principals do not have to organise it themselves. I agree that we need to look at that specific issue because it clearly is disadvantaging children who live across the road from a school if all of a sudden that school is not their local school.