Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It has been a rather depressing week for special education. Yesterday's absolutely last-minute announcement of special needs assistant, SNA, allocations has continued years of disrespect to those crucial education staff. I read with interest an article in The Irish Timestwo days ago where a Government source described the plan of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, in respect of proposed centres of education as dead in the water. I know that the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, has misgivings about that matter. Will the Government confirm that it is putting every effort into finding appropriate school placements in school communities? Can the Taoiseach confirm that the Government will no longer pursue this totally unsuitable plan which would have seen autistic children segregated and isolated?

See this speech in context