Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

They are mentioned in the national development plan as going from pilot to permanent status. The Ó Cuanacháins had a legitimate right to challenge the Department of Education and Science on that fact alone. Before that, the courts had established that the State had denied Seán Ó Cuanacháin his right to an education and damaged his educational prospects.

ABA has the best effect at an early stage. That this court case dragged on for four years, adding significantly to costs, is not the fault of the Ó Cuanacháin family, which sought early intervention. They have lost that opportunity and to subject them to legal costs is ridiculous.

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