Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government's lack of forward planning in respect of special education school places is holding children back from achieving their full potential. The Government has had plenty of warning about this. The Milne family first appeared on "Prime Time" three years ago when the Tánaiste held the post of Taoiseach. The Government knows the number of children with special educational needs who need school places. The eleventh-hour announcement by the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, this week that she will begin to issue section 37A notices to compel schools to open special units is a day late and a dollar short. Families again fear that they are going be left with no school places due to this Government's failure. I ask the Tánaiste to explain to concerned families out there how the Government will meet its programme for Government commitment to ensure that every child with a special education need has an appropriate school place?

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