Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister and her Department official staff for being here. It feels a little like we did not leave here since last night when we had what I consider to have been a very productive, open and transparent meeting with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, which was also most welcome. There is a great rapport between the two Ministers in tackling the issues that we, as representatives, want to present to them.

Mine is a little story by way of maybe getting an issue addressed. The compelling story that I bring to the Minister is that of a special little boy who has spent the first two and a half years of his life very challenged, and in and out of hospital quite frequently. His condition is hypoplastic right heart syndrome. The story is that they had flagged this to the national school. He is due to start national school in August and that would involve an absolute requirement to have an SNA deal with that. It is a very complex heart condition where he has had two open-heart surgeries and will be medicated for life. He needs to be hydrated regularly which, obviously, would need considerable monitoring with the school setting the same as would be at home. He would need assistance on and off the bus, in and on the yard, and would be on Aspirin on a daily basis. Of course, any bang or injury, in the yard or in the classroom, fundamentally could end in he developing internal bleeding. He would require bathroom assistance. He would require breaks from the standard classroom because of concentration issues and then be liable to have so-called "blue" spells, obviously, heart-related. He is, by all accounts, a very shy boy and lacks a little bit of trust and his preschool report was heart-breaking in the context that he struggles in the classroom environment if he has not that manicuring and support. In school, he is fairly non-verbal but he can chat away at home. He is a very special and difficult case.

I have the emails from the parents and a list of all of the people who have supported him through his condition to back up everything that I am saying today but, regrettably, the application for an SNA for that school in east Galway was refused. I can fully understand at times when these things happen for one reason or another. This is a special case. I am not so sure how the case was presented but, obviously, I am really appealing for the likes of him. Special cases require special attention. He is, by all accounts, a special child with needs. The parents are craving for that kind of assistance to ensure that he gets the necessary or adequate education and would also have the support within the school setting, and give him the best start in life.

The question revolves around SNA supports. I am fairly sure, speaking to the Minister on and off, and of course the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, last night, there is a relentless effort or energy in that regard. In cases such as this that come to us, we need reassurance that they will be managed and that little Joe will get what is required to give him that platform where he can honestly get a good start in life.