Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)

I wish to raise an issue of fundamental rights, namely the right to education. This right is being denied to children not only in the north inner city but also nationally. Peer research conducted by a group of parents who came together under the title of FACT reveals that 100% of parents of children with additional needs surveyed said their children need additional support but that only 70% of those children are receiving such support. Many children are in classrooms without special needs assistants, SNAs, and are limited to just two hours of schooling a day. Yesterday, one mother shared that her son has no school place for September despite two years of her trying to get one for him. That is not inclusion; it is a systemic failure. Parents in the inner city watch their children regress as they are turned away or home early due to a lack of places, training or resources. These are not isolated cases. Nationally, there will be 126 children with additional needs left without school places in September. We can all accept that this is wrong. Can the Minister give a guarantee that no child will be left without a school place in September?

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