Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We all wish Deputy Boyd Barrett the best of luck. It is apt to do this during Questions to the Taoiseach because if ever there was a Deputy who made very great use of Questions to the Taoiseach, it was Deputy Boyd Barrett.

When we talk about child poverty, we are all aware of the added costs of dealing with children with additional needs. The issue of special school places and the fact that we had parents in here who were at their wits' end have been raised multiple times today. I raised the case of Senan Maguire, a 13-year-old autistic boy who is now out of school, with the Taoiseach. There has been engagement with the Minister. We need to ensure that Senan is returned to school as soon as possible and that he definitely has a place next year. We need to make sure the multidisciplinary team is there so we can avail of CAMHS-ID, for which Senan and his parents have been looking for a considerable period of time. The big issue is that when we get to a one-stop-shop, there is no wrong door and that we have the follow up regarding school-based therapies and assessments because we are dealing with failure at the minute. It worries me when I hear about the likes of Scoil Bhríde Shelagh, which said it was sanctioned for two ASD classes but has only been okayed for one. This needs to be followed up.

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