Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The information I have concerns schools within the city boundaries. There are only four places available for children with autism. This does not involve the allocation of resource hours, because I recognise that the Department will provide them where they are needed. As the Minister knows, for students with autism, the availability of a timeout, home room or base room - whatever way it is described - can be critical to whether a student can enrol in a school. It is my understanding that only four spaces are available in one school for those students who need them. The other two schools that provide such rooms can no longer enrol students because they have reached their quota and no longer have spaces available.

I refer to demographic changes, which were discussed earlier. It is difficult to try to identify the increased need for such rooms because we do not know how many students will have special educational needs in five years' time. Does the capital programme have a separate budget that has identified a need for resource or home rooms in particular schools? Will they be provided or will it be a case of everyone fighting for the same pot?

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