Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I thank the Deputy for his good wishes. I recognise the extraordinary burden that falls on the shoulders of parents who have children with special needs whom they love dearly. I welcome suggestions from school boards of management and parents associations that deal with young people in this category on how best resources can be allocated. The numbers are fixed. The sooner we can get information into the system in order that management can plan for SNA provision in schools, the better. I am open to, and I invite, suggestions that can improve on what the Deputy describes as "the arbitrary date of 18 March".

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