Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy and I have discussed this particular dearth of special education provision in Cork on previous occasions and I can get him a written reply to his query. In Cork, we are planning a considerable amount of work this year because Cork is one of the areas that is most affected by a lack of special class and school places. As the Deputy knows, there is a mechanism under section 37A of the Education Act 1998, which I can consider for these areas. I am reluctant to do so, however, because again, when we are talking about collaboration we always try to collaborate with the schools themselves in providing places, particularly if there is an existing school. I am aware of the issue in Montenotte and as I said, I will give the Deputy a written reply on that.

On the Deputy's query about transport, infection control measures will need to be put in place for transport when it resumes. Children with special education needs do not necessarily have to wear face masks if they are uncomfortable doing so. Adequate PPE is provided for the bus escorts on school transport, however. There is social distancing on a school bus as well. That is another benefit of having just special education as a priority when we are talking about bringing special education students back into schools. There is no congregating of parents or anything like that, therefore. We are talking about 4% of the education system in its entirety. It is only about 18,500 children.

There is none of this fear of parents congregating outside the school because many of these children, as the Deputy correctly points out, would be availing of school transport. Obviously, we have to ensure that the buses are clean, that they are sanitised adequately, that the bus escorts have their medical-grade masks and indeed the bus drivers wear their masks and that these are worn even when they are waiting for the bus. Something that we have always been vigilant about in the Department is that they are always checked to ensure that they are not substandard and that they provide a safe environment for these children where they are travelling to or from their education setting.

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