Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can assure the Deputy and Cara, and many young people like her, that we are acting. I think that is clear from the fact that €780 million has been provided in additional funding for those with special and additional needs over the past four years of this specific Government. I can assure the Deputy that additional funding has been allocated to make sure those waiting lists are reduced and that a quarter of our budget, an increase of €113 million, is now being spent on special education and making sure that those who are in mainstream get the resources they need through SNAs and special teachers. For those in special classes, we have more special classes coming through every year. Approval has been given for 400 new special classes this year and 375 of those have been sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education. We are investing. We are making sure we have the physical infrastructure. We are planning for the resources required for this - the teachers and specialist workers - and we are also making sure that young people get an assessment of need at the earliest stage possible.

The Deputy asked about figures. There were 9,980 children awaiting an assessment of needs at the beginning of this year and 7,550 will receive an assessment of needs this year. That will not fully address the waiting list but I have no doubt the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, working with the Taoiseach and her colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, who is now a Cabinet Minister, is stressing the educational needs of young people and that more money will be allocated in this year’s budget to make even more progress. I am not saying we are there yet but we will make more progress.

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