Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I said, there are 450 special needs students who have not been accommodated, which is an indictment on the scheme. I also acknowledged that the scheme was very successful for a time but as stated by most people on this side of the House it is now not fit for purpose and it needs to be recalibrated.

Twelve months ago, the Minister of State gave an assurance to the education committee that this problem would not be repeated. I could cite a myriad of examples of people in my constituency, from Dundalk to Drogheda, who are being discommoded but I do not propose to repeat what has been already said by my colleagues. Nationally, 18% of those who are eligible for this scheme are not taking up their places, which indicates the need for a review of the scheme. In rural Ireland, as alluded to by Deputy Aylward and others, because of difficulties with house building it is unsafe for children to be walking the roads, many of whom have to do so because their parents have to go to work.

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