Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State and his team for coming in today. It was lovely to hear him talk passionately about how he hated not knowing where that child was going to go to school. I wore my heart on my sleeve earlier in the Seanad today so I am a bit like that myself as a politician. I am liable to shed tears every now and then.

We have a brand new special school in Navan, County Meath, called St. Mary's Special School, which I recommend the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, put on their list. I visited it a few weeks ago and I had never seen anything like it. When we do our work well, we do it really well. Unfortunately, however, another school in the area has a new campus being built. St. Ultan's, a school for mild general learning difficulties, has been bursting at the seams for many years. I am on the board of the school. The planning application is at the stage where further information has gone in. It all started last July and this May, further information was finally submitted. A total of 1,000 parents got together in just three days with a petition to try to ensure the project will not get delayed in any way. I will send the Minister of State an email on it separately but this is just to keep in mind. It is a very important campus for Ardreagh and St. Ultan's.

In light of being here today, I contacted a few schools in Meath West and I wanted to home in on a couple of issues, one of which is quite unusual. There is another amazing school in County Meath called Boyerstown National School. It is a mainstream school that built a modular unit off the side of it called the rainbow room. It is for children with highly complex needs. I frequently liaise with the principal there and the school's bugbear for the past three years since the rainbow room special class was set up, paid for, built and equipped by the Department of education has been the lack of funding for things like specialist training for all the staff. This includes training for PEG feeds, epilepsy, manual handling, first aid and suctioning, most of which must be done every two years to be up to date. The school's insurance company, Allianz, has insisted that all equipment and every hoist and changing table that has to be motorised up and down have maintenance and servicing done every six to 12 months, as well as all elevated cleaning costs and PPE materials. The school says the cost is in the region of €5,000 to €6,000 per year and that the enhanced capitation grants for special class pupils categorically will not cover this because it is unique to the needs of those children.

This year, the school has four children and will have five coming in this September. The capitation, however, is based on September 2023 because it goes with the previous year's enrolment. At the time, this was only two children. The school will find it very difficult moving forward. I always find it hard to comprehend why we base it on the previous year's enrolments as opposed to the year going forward. This school has been visited by quite a few Ministers, TDs and councillors and it is a fine example of how we can integrate a very special class into a mainstream school. However, it feels as though it is on its own when it comes to funding.

St. Joseph's primary school in Navan has mentioned that it still has not had any response to an SNA appeal for review that took place last October. It seems to be taking a long time and the school is very frustrated with classes breaking up on Friday and having no idea what will happen in September.

I do not know if the Minister of State is aware but I have previously brought up an issue regarding running a pilot programme for a transport manager for special schools, which we could start in County Meath. With special schools, the principals and vice principals end up using most of their resources and time in the morning liaising with all the bus escorts. It is a huge part of their daily work, between people ringing in sick and people being off. If a bus escort or driver does not make it to school, the child will not get there. The child cannot go without a bus escort. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, about this and she said she will discuss it further but it would be great to look at transport management. One transport manager for all of Meath West could co-ordinate all the transport for the buses going in and out of schools.