Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support our motion. I wish to raise a matter that relates to Dublin Central. The Chair might ask why a Corkman is doing so, but I have been asked by Senator Sherlock to raise the issue of Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square. When will the sod turning for the school take place? As I understand the situation, it was to take place around Easter. The school has been in temporary accommodation for approximately 21 years, paying in or around €328,000 per year to rent a building. If the Minister or one of her colleagues updated the House on this school, the people of that community would be grateful.

We acknowledge that more students availed of the Minister's announcement last year of more places on school transport. However, that policy created many exceptions. There were people on concessionary tickets who found themselves displaced as a result of the creation of additional spaces. Until such time as there is a proper review that examines the 3.2 km and 4.8 km restrictions, school transport will not be availed of by as many students as could. There is unmet potential. The 3.2 km and 4.8 km rules are anachronistic in terms of parental and student choice about the schools they wish to attend. Will the Minister re-examine these criteria? Until such time as they are abolished or amended, exceptions will be created whereby, if someone does not meet the criteria, he or she will be without a school bus place. We are already receiving emails from people in advance of next September regarding this issue.

I take at face value the Minister's announcement of the creation of additional special school places or places for children with additional needs, but there are still pockets throughout the country where no places are available. I refer specifically to my patch in north and east Cork. In recent weeks, there has been an uptick in parents contacting me. Where a child needs access to a special class, parents are being told by principals that schools do not have the places. This is happening in places like Mitchelstown. In one case, a parent has tried Anglesboro, Ballygiblin and Mitchelstown, only to be told by three principals that there are no places. I am told that, while there is a willingness on the part of the school in Ballygiblin to take on additional capacity, sanction has not been given. If the Minister, through her officials, did a root-and-branch review that took into account the geography of the places I am talking about where there are children who do not necessarily fit enrolment policies in larger towns like Mitchelstown, Fermoy and Mallow, and if places could be created for them, it would be welcome.

Deputies have always had a relationship with SENOs and there was some level of local discretion. Notwithstanding the good work they do, there are not enough of them. For some reason, the setting up of the NCSE has created a new bureaucracy or technocracy. One principal told me that she was up until 3 a.m. writing an appeal. The answer she received was that her school, which had a significant need, would be entitled to only a fraction of a whole-time equivalent. This bureaucratic and technocratic system needs to be reviewed, if possible. We need more discretion and a greater degree of common sense needs to prevail as regards the provision of places for people who are under severe pressure.

See this speech in context