Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are moving to have a centralised portal to make sure there is a centralised system for application. On challenges parents have in finding places, particularly at primary level, and we have 218 sanctioned and huge work is ongoing at departmental level to sanction more, it is a key priority for me and the whole of the Government to make sure that stress of finding places is limited because parents have enough going on. We want to ensure there is a streamlined process. We will work with might and main to make sure that happens. We will work with parents, the NCSE and the Department of Education to ensure a streamlined process. What has happened heretofore is not acceptable into the future. We must also bring certainty to families in the earlier part of the school cycle so they know where their children are going in September eight or nine months to a year before that and not having a huge issue as is happening at the moment.

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