Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

May I say a final word on behalf of special schools? I am thinking, particularly, of the Nano Nagle school in Listowel. It has 24 SNAs for 66 pupils, which sounds excessive but one must consider the service the school provides. It has pupils with moderate and profound learning difficulties and children with autism, epilepsy and other conditions. The school deals with all these difficulties and provides a huge service to the region.

I ask the Minister of State to give as much help as he can to physiotherapy and occupational therapy. There should be more consultation with the HSE in this regard.

There are many ways to access extra funding for special needs. It is my priority. Can small towns like my own continue to afford three secondary schools, single sex primary schools, gaelscoileanna and Educate Together schools, which are all optional? In days of plenty they are a wonderful idea but in days of want these things must be looked at. We must prioritise our special needs students.