Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I note that this was not part of the Deputy's question. Nonetheless, I have no difficulty in responding to it. First, all supports and resources will be given to all schools that we are requesting under the section 37A process to open a special class. It is important to point out that in the section 37A process, which is a transparent process, all schools are publicly named on the Department's website. That is the nature of it. It has already been used twice in the past. Recently, we initiated the process for the third time when the National Council for Special Education wrote to inform me that there were insufficient placements for children in Dublin. The council is satisfied that every other placement around the country will be provided for. Therefore, we felt there was no other option in circumstances where schools that we had targeted informed us that they were not going to be in a position to open a special class.

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