Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Special schools are more complex and that is why the rate is €60. We want all schools to do it and we do not want to concentrate just on special schools. The Deputy is correct. What we are trying to do, from the Department's point of view, is reach out to schools to encourage them to take it up. Because the patrons own the schools, however, we do not have the ability to force them to do it, so we are working with schools, engaging with them and asking them what the barriers are, and we will constantly have that under review. Across the board, however, in both special and mainstream schools, the numbers taking up the programme have significantly increased, although there is more demand and we want to continue to work with schools in that area.