Mr. John Kearney:

I have a general observation in response to the two specific queries the Deputy raised. There is also the broader ambit in the set allocation of mainstream teachers. There are close to 21,000 teachers in the system now, representing the most significant investment by the State to date in the full continuum of support for young students. There are specific categories to which the Deputy alluded but in respect of overall holistic school supports for schools from a special education teacher perspective and SNA allocation, they have never been at such a high level as they are currently.