Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

This Government has ensured that additional supports for children with special educational needs are in place in schools all over the country. Our policies and levels of investment have delivered additional teachers, additional care supports, specialist equipment and assistive technology, along with specially adapted school buildings and special school transport arrangements.

I want to quash any suggestion that, by closing these special classes, schools will be without the additional teaching supports required to meet the educational needs of these children. This is simply not the case. These pupils will be provided with additional teaching supports through the general allocation model.

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