Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I welcome her constructive message and the fact there has already been a meeting. I hope another meeting will resolve this issue. Everybody would like to see this class being set up. Parents are concerned, which is completely understandable. We all know what it is like once we get into the summer months. There are concerns that parents would not get the support at that stage. The reality is that families can see how beneficial this class is for their children. That is probably the crux of the matter. Parents feel it is important to keep support for their children in place. The fact that it was supposed to be available for two years and that it is going to be cut after one year is an issue of serious concern for families. What the Minister of State said is very welcome. I welcome the fact that she is prioritising this matter, is focused on it and is going to keep in touch with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that, hopefully, we get this over the line. Ultimately, we need to make sure that we give our children the best possible future and opportunities to allow them to realise their potential. For the children in question, this is something that has been proven very beneficial.

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