Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In regard to Dr. Niall Muldoon’s damning report last week on children with special needs, it is scandalous that 4,000 children are waiting for diagnostic assessments to get school places, 15,500 are going to schools outside their own community and 1,500 are receiving home tuition because they cannot get school places. It is only a few months ago that the decision was made by the Government to close an excellently-run intervention unit in Kilbrittain until I interceded and it was stopped. We need a proper debate on this very serious issue. The children of this country cannot be left to continue the way they are in regard to schooling for children with special needs. We need to have a proper debate for the week, not just have it crammed into a Friday evening Dáil debate. I ask the Taoiseach to give a proper debate on this very serious issue.

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