Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

We are monitoring all the places that we have been provided. We started off when the need was clear earlier this year and we looked at what was needed to try to make sure that we did the best we can by every child and every family. We are continuing to work on that. It is not something that is stopped on 1 September. It is something that we are very much engaging on right throughout the school term. The NCSE and so forth will continue to work with all families because we need to support them and to have direction and we need to understand the needs as well.

In terms of what the Deputy asked at the very outset, an awful lot of work has been done over the last number of years. The budget for special education has increased dramatically over the last five years. There has been a huge increase in the amount of need not just in Ireland but across the developed world. I shudder to think what is happening in the undeveloped world but there is a huge increase and Ireland has met that. Some countries will say that they have met it better but we have met it head on over the last number of years. We have increased the funding in terms of schools and school places. We have 15,000 extra teachers now in special education provision. We have 23,000 special needs assistants. Across the country we have more special needs assistants than we have gardaí or others within the system. They do phenomenal work and we must continue to increase the number. We have increased the staffing within the NCSE as well. There is a lot of work within the jigsaw to find it right. Are we there yet? No, not by a long shot. We have an awful lot of more work to do but I and the Department of education and the NCSE are deeply committed to trying to make sure that we have a better system into the future that is future-proofed in terms of resources and how best to use State resources.

On AIM, they are issues for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. I will refer the question to that Department and maybe get an answer from them for the Deputy, if that is okay.

Ms Mannion will comment next, if that is okay.