Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Why the Minister of State at the Department of Education left? I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan. It is disappointing that neither the Minister or a Minister of State for education is here. It is such a serious area. There are huge concerns about special units in national schools in County Tipperary. In December 2023, Burncourt National School received a letter from the NCSE regarding a second autism class from September 2024. It invited enrolments and was ready to offer places last week but the Department has delayed approval of the modular accommodation stating that the NCSE had not sanctioned the class.

This class was sanctioned a number of months ago and six children were selected for places, but now the accommodation has been delayed. We need urgent approval of this accommodation. As the Tánaiste said this week, any school that has been approved should go ahead.

Scoil Mhuire, Caisleán Nua, my own national school, is the second one. In July 2017, Scoil Muire Newcastle was sanctioned for a first autism suite. Since then, this project has seen delay after delay and, as it stands, the report for stage 2 was submitted during the fourth quarter of 2023 and remains under review. I am led to believe there may be further issues. These delays are not acceptable. The school is extremely stuck for space and is renting a community hall, Tigh na nDaoine, from the local community. This is not satisfactory. The class was sanctioned almost seven years ago by the Department. The Department needs to stick to its side of the bargain, as do local communities, schools and boards of management, and provide this space as a matter of urgency. We need a full briefing on the situation here. It is not fair to the boards of management, the múinteoirí and the school communities in both cases, namely, Burncourt National School and the one in Caisleán Nua, that there has been such a breach of trust. They had NCSE approval and now we are being told they did not. The situation in Newcastle has gone back for review after review. We need clarity. Schools have enough to be doing running the schools. I salute the teachers and the boards of management that will take on these special classes. Some schools will not, but where they are willing and where the communities are willing to accept the students and provide the places, we should be jumping at the opportunity to take these school places.

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