Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know the Minister of State is familiar with this important issue. Carmona school is located in Dún Laoghaire, which is the constituency of my colleague, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. It services the entire county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. Many parents in my constituency are facing an extremely difficult time because they are unable to have the proper services provided to their children in this school. I remind the Minister of State of the meeting she held with the parents and the principal of the school in May when she gave a guarantee that services would be returned to pre-Covid-19 levels in this very important school. While I understand that the HSE has returned staff to their allocated hours, it is much less than the service the school provided prior to the pandemic. It is harrowing for so many parents whose children are in the school, for the teachers, for the wider school community and for so many people involved. There has not been a speech and language therapist in the school since February. There are extremely vulnerable children at risk who are not receiving the duty of care from the State in the school. It is not good enough. I am appealing, with Deputy Carroll MacNeill, that this be remedied as quickly as possible.

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