Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Cummins for raising this issue. She is right. I have heard from people in relation to this issue too and I am pursuing it through my office. I will absolutely do as the Deputy has asked. The Minister and the Minister of State brought in a welcome reform, which I know the Deputy welcomed too, to try to get ahead of this and be able to properly plan earlier each year for the next September to reduce the stress, anxiety and worry of parents and their children with additional needs. I take the point, however, that if they are logging onto a website, seeing the portal is closed and finding the system too complex and too difficult to navigate, this is not where it should be. I will ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to speak with the head of the NCSE and get back to the Deputy directly.

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