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

While I cannot give the Deputy a timeline for the doubling of places, I know it is being worked on directly by the Ministers, Deputies Lawless and Carroll MacNeill. The more quickly it can happen, the more quickly we can fill our places overall.

The change on qualifications is work that has just started, so the focus and priority have been on outlining what the therapy service will look like and how we can progress it as soon as possible. The Deputy is correct that we can provide school places for young people, but we need to make sure that when they get into school, they get access to the right supports and education. That should include therapies and they should get direct support in the schools as well as in their communities. This is about complementing the work being done outside the school as well.

Deputy Ó Murchú raised Senan. I have spoken to David and Tina. The Deputy is correct that the number one priority is making sure that Senan has a school place immediately and then making sure he has access to the right school place, supports and therapies he needs. I will do absolutely everything possible to make sure that is the case.

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