Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am afraid I do not have the details of the situation in Fethard, but I am sure the Minister for Education and Skills does and would be able to give the Deputy a more detailed reply. We have done a considerable amount of work in the past few years in accommodating and supporting children with special needs. We have more special needs assistants and more special classes than ever before. ASD units are being built throughout the country. I have had the privilege to visit many of them, including in my constituency. They are being built, but obviously they have to put out to tender. Rather than the Department of Education and Skills doing it all centrally, it makes sense to allow schools to do it. It is often done more quickly when it is devolved locally.

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