Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The answer to the question on the 700 school leavers with disability is absolutely unsatisfactory. The situation has been going on for months. It is a budgetary issue. They did not get a budget this year in terms of the additionality that is required to provide for placements for those young people. That is the problem. It goes to the heart of a failure of prioritisation to ensure there is provision for those with the greatest need. Notwithstanding the significant challenges with which the Government and the Oireachtas have to deal, it is unacceptable that people have been left in limbo without any certainty. It is now May and we are talking about placements for individuals who will leave school in a month's time who were told they were to get placements months ago.

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