John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I do not know whether she intends having them in towns and villages or having a few in cities around the country. One should consider the logistics and the stigma attached to those attending. At a time when we are by and large trying to introduce pupils into mainstream services, the Deputy's proposal represents a step backwards. If it is Fine Gael policy, it needs to be clarified. I was certainly disappointed with it. It involves saying there is no hope for certain pupils, taking them from their existing environment and putting them somewhere else, where they could be stigmatised. We should identify students with behavioural problems at a very early stage and make efforts in each case to identity the causes. Removing pupils from their existing environment is not the solution.

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