Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First, I apologise on behalf of Deputy Gould, who was included in this but who is sick with the flu and cannot make it. I, Deputy Barry, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan and several others, including Deputy Gould, were at a meeting in St. Killian's last week. It was a powerful meeting. Parents should not have to be in this situation but they gave us such testimony about the difference that therapies would make to their children. The reality is they are being denied the opportunity to reach their full potential. The opportunity for these children to reach their full potential is being taken away from them.

It has been a sorry saga. They were given a commitment that if they went away and found the therapists, the money would be there. It is not ideal to be relying on the private sector but the reality is that that offer was on the table. They have done the work. They have found the therapists. Clearly, there is no principled objection to the use of private therapists on the part of the Department. That being the case, why can funding not be released to this school, whether in the pilot scheme or otherwise? The therapists are there. They are waiting to go into this school to give these children the therapies they deserve.

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