Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is interesting that the Deputy has raised this issue. I had a discussion yesterday on the fact that if a child enters primary school, requires assistance and gets a special needs assistant, moves on to the second level system and has access to the same level of support and physical supports, whether sensory rooms or quiet spaces, that need does not stop when he or she transitions to third level. Work will have to be done in this space. In the other Department, the Department of Education, much of the focus, quite rightly, in recent times has been to play catch-up with the deficit in the number of special needs assistants and supports for children. For my Department, going forward, it will be an ongoing priority to make that transition as seamless as possible, not only for the learners but also for their families. It is a huge step in their lives. I am anxious to see how we can support them.

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