Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply giving me an update on the reforms. The most important requirement is the education of children, particularly disadvantaged children. I hope that any changes that are made are made for the benefit of the children and are done in a cost-efficient manner. The learning support and the resource teachers to whom I have spoken expressed the concern that they would spend too much time travelling. In the past they could remain within the cluster but now might be required to travel to Ennis from west Clare, which is a waste of resource time. I hope in the new arrangement that each individual school's concerns would be considered and that the most efficient system would be introduced in the interests of all concerned.

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