Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response and welcome the increased provision. Indeed, I welcome her personal involvement in Tullydonnell national school, where the principal, Anne-Marie Ford, was especially active and successful in working with the Minister of State to get increased provision. I await a response to a letter sent in April to the Department regarding a special education unit for Ballapousta, just outside Ardee, where a new school is being built. It will provide a special education unit, but it thinks the money should be provided now before the school proceeds with the plan.

The Minister of State indicated she is making provision, which I accept. I acknowledge that in her prepared response, she might not have been given the clarity she might need regarding specifically the east Meath electoral division area. Will she drill down on that at another point, if not today? The population in that area has increased by 6,000, in comparison with the entire county of Louth, which has had an increase of 10,000. In east Meath alone, comprising Bellewstown, Julianstown, Mornington and so on, the population has increased by 6,000. There is a rapidly increasing population in the area and I believe there will be a significant increase in the demand for SEN units in particular.

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