Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is interesting the Deputy has raised this today. Deputy Lahart raised it with me last night as well. The association has obviously been meeting with quite a few Deputies around the House. There would have to be collaboration with the Department of Education. We have collaborated previously when I sent out the leaflet on supports available to young people. The situation has changed, as we all know. The day is gone that when children present to school they just come to learn to read, write and do maths. Children are presenting with so many complex needs at the moment. I was in Mount Sion Primary School in Waterford, which Deputy Cullinane knows well, last week. I was there to speak about the supports offered to children, especially children with complex needs. Teachers know first-hand the supports children need. They have them for six hours every day. A collaboration between our Department and the Department of Education must happen. It is happening at some level but we must accelerate it.

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