Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur on the anxiety and that parents need the reassurance of knowing their child has a place for the upcoming school year. We really do not want to be in this position again. Parents need to know early in the year where their child is going to be that coming September and that is why the resourcing of the NCSE is so important. Today, I have written to a number of schools in the Dublin 15 area to thank them for their work throughout the year but also to highlight the issues the Deputy has raised regarding the anxiety of parents not knowing where their child is going to be in the coming school year. I have also asked them to continue to work with the NCSE and the Department and to continue to progress their enrolment process for special classes as quickly as possible so as to reassure parents. Again, the NCSE is dealing directly with schools, schools patrons and boards of management. Where legislation is needed and needs to be used, it will be applied. I assure the Deputy of that. Everything that can be done to support parents in ensuring their child gets a place in September is happening at the moment.

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