Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising the case of Rowan. I understand he spoke to the Minister of State with responsibiity for special needs education, Deputy Moynihan, last evening. He will follow it up as quickly as he can to see whether he can get a resolution to the issue, having regard to its background. We are going to change the application process to have earlier timelines and a common application system. Also, there is to be greater productivity on the part of the NCSE in finding places for children, as opposed to the parents having to do all the heavy work. We need more proactivity in this regard, and that work is under way.

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