Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach and apologise for the delay; the traffic was intolerable. I listened to the Minister of State's opening statement and I thank him for coming to committee with his team. It was a comprehensive statement. It gave a sense of the urgency that he has displayed since he was appointed to the development of accessible education for children with special and additional needs. Since his appointment, he has been approachable, accessible and empathetic and has demonstrated a real commitment to solving the very significant issues around education for children with special and additional needs.

I know the Minister of State has covered some of this ground, but I have some observations. In relation to SNAs, there was a particular issue raised by principals in County Roscommon during the summer. It related to recommendations made by SENOs. There seemed to be a reform or rejigging of SNA provisions for certain schools that were doing very good work; schools that were at the forefront of providing this type of education going back many years. In one particular case - I will not name the child but will give the Minister of State the details afterwards - we made representations in respect of a four-year-old boy suffering from an extremely rare genetic condition, pontocerebellar hypoplasia. He has a very significant intellectual disability and also a physical disability. He was in a preschool in Four Mile House in County Roscommon and had a full SNA until he went to national school. He has got an SNA for the hours he is in national school, but he has lost the hours he had for when he goes back into after-school care. Two other children who he was sharing the SNA with have lost their allocations. I know the volume of work done and the commitment that is there to provide for these children, but there seems to be an issue around the redistribution of SNA resources. It might be something that the Minister of State can address.

In relation to transport, some teachers have said to me that children are being transported out of their areas when they could provide space for them in their schools. They may not have ideal spaces, but they would have space within their community schools. I would like to know the Minister of State's thoughts on this issue and what the Department's policy is.

In relation to providing additional SEN rooms, is the Department committed to a multi-annual budget? There seemed to be a big push this year to get as many spaces as possible available for this September. Are we planning forward over a number of years with a multi-annual budget?

I will leave it at that. I thank the Minister of State for coming and his commitment to this area.