Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the time to raise this important issue. The Equality in Education group has said that 168 children have been offered an appropriate school place but cannot take it up due to delays in essential building works. We believe there is a certain amount of waiting list manipulation going on. A place in an unbuilt school is not a place. A place in a cubby hole with no changing facilities for two children is not a place. Even when special transport is granted to a school that does not to exist, that is not a place. The problem has been going on for years. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been in power for years and it seems they are doing nothing about it.

The policy of the Government and the Department states that where there is a demand, a service will be provided. They should tell that to the parents in Murhur National School in Moyvane in north Kerry, where an empty classroom was available and the principal and the board of management were in favour of it, but children there are travelling outside the county, to Glin, County Limerick, for a school place, as no place was provided for them.

7 o’clock

There is a vague promise that there may be provision next year, but that is not good enough for the people there. I was contacted by one parent who works in education. She told me that there are two early intervention classes in the whole of County Kerry, but 22 in the neighbouring county of Cork. How does that feel to the parents looking at other children are getting ready for school while their own child has to stay at home? Cork has 22 classes and Kerry just has two. There are six places in the whole county of Kerry, but some children stay on for a second year so in reality there are three or four early intervention classes. We all know the good work that can be done when intervention is made early. I ask the Minister of State to intervene to provide more places for people, particularly in County Kerry.

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