Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)

I thank the Minister of State. I am conscious that he is relaying the message from the Department. It is not very heartening to see that the Department has completely ignored the specific request with regard to Dublin 1. The reality is that schools in the Dublin 1 area are having to make do in the context of a declining ratio of special needs assistants to children because the number of children needing an SNA is going up and the number of SNAs is staying the same. In addition, children are having to leave their CDNT in the Summerhill are and move to a CDNT area elsewhere in order to go to a special school or special class. The critical point here is that we know education is best when it is closest to home. We know that care is best when there is continuity of care. These children are being failed on both counts because many children who stay within the Summerhill CDNT in Dublin 1 are being put into inappropriate school places, notwithstanding the brilliant effort of the schools locally. If they have to be moved outside of the CDNT catchment area, they need to up sticks and get their care elsewhere in another CDNT. That is frankly not acceptable.

My specific and direct plea to the Minister of State, which I ask him to convey to the Minister, is that we need a special school for Dublin 1 and, indeed, for all 16 of the CDNTs that currently do not have a special school. These children are being put at a further disadvantage to the disadvantage they are already experiencing. Parents are in desperation and have to submit 20 or 30 applications to try to find a school place. My ask is that we make sure there is a special school in every CDNT.

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