Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also thank the Minister for his reply. The situation was handled very badly. Damage was done. If one is a parent and believes that a school could close, one looks at one's options as a mother or father and whether to leave one's child the school even though it is unclear whether it will be open in five years' time. It is important that the Muine Bheag school is kept open. It is a DEIS school and provides great service to the surrounding areas such Bagenalstown and Carlow. It is crucial because it has an autistic spectrum disorder, ASD, unit and all the services a school needs. It has provided a service to Bagenalstown for the past 54 years. I ask the Minister to keep it open.