Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

Amendment No. 5 in my name has been grouped with Deputy Seán Crowe's amendment. Repealing subsections (5) and (6), as inserted by section 40 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, would remove the obligation on and ability of the Minister to request the assistance of the Health Service Executive to provide the relevant support services. Will the effect of repealing these subsections be to remove all compulsion on statutory agencies to meet the needs of a child who requires particular supports and interventions? I am concerned that may be the case.

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