Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I would also like to give a voice to those parents in terms of post-primary choice.

I take the opportunity to mention funding resources for special schools. I thank the Minister for the increase in the capitation grant in the budget. It is something that we had discussed at the education committee and I know it was on her agenda. I am always pushing for more resources. As I have mentioned previously, on the allowances for special schools, they may have 70 staff but the allowances for principals are based on how many teachers they have, whereas special school could have 70 staff made up of SNAs, escorts, cleaning staff and caretakers. They obviously then do not get those allowances. One of the suggestions coming from our principals is the introduction of an AP1 for special schools because that would help manage all the staffing. If such a school had 70 teachers, it would have a huge staffing team to manage that but special schools do not have that and they really need it.

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