John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Being a teacher himself, the Deputy knows only too well the challenges facing children and I fully respect what he has said. I would ask him to engage with Mr. James O'Grady, whom the Deputy has possibly met, Professor Michael Fitzgerald and Dr. Fiona Keogh. It is very important that the school would engage with the review group in regard to how best to facilitate Beechpark. This report is near completion and the Minister, Deputy Reilly, will be very sympathetic in this regard. As the Deputy knows, however, there is an embargo on recruitment. It is a question of utilising the services that are there to serve the greatest possible need.

The expert group is to make a recommendation on the Beechpark autism services in north Dublin very shortly. It would be very important that they are invited to the school as they might be able, in some way, to come up with an idea to deal with the important issue raised by the Deputy. It might be advisable for the Deputy to engage directly with the review group and I wonder whether the principal of the school has met the members of the group, which is another possible avenue.

Review groups are important and they are not just talking shops. The Minister has appointed the group with a mandate to come back with suggestions as to how best to maximise the services in north Dublin, which will be to benefit of everybody. I strongly advise the Deputy to engage with the chair and with Professor Michael Fitzgerald to see what exactly is happening and whether the outturn of the review will solve the problem at Beechpark. That is the question we have to answer. Until the Minister, Deputy Reilly, gets that answer, there is nothing he can do.

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