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

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for her clarifying comments around the identity of the child that Deputy Smyth named. While I have not named the child, I am aware of the application. Once the criteria are set out, the appeal will be fully reviewed by the NCSE and the Department. Ultimately, the purpose of the scheme is to provide grant aid to schools to allow them to prioritise the type of specialist equipment recommended by the NCSE as being essential for those who have a physical, sensory or communicative disability, to the extent that the ability to communicate through the medium of speech or writing is materially curtailed and where it is clear that the existing equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs without unduly depriving other children of access to the equipment or where, without such equipment, it would not be possible for such children to access the school curriculum.

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