Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the work the Minister of State has done on this under her special education brief and acknowledge that she has secured money for the issue. I welcome her statement that this is a priority for the Department. Talks are under way and she stated she hopes there will be a speedy resolution, but today is 12 July and we are one month and a half from the beginning of September.I hope that "speedy" means that we can conclude this before the beginning of the new school year. This is a ready-made solution. It merely needs the Department to sign off on it at one level or another. I hope that the Minister of State, in her capacity with responsibility for special educational needs, can push it through and deliver a solution for the school, the community and, in particular, those students who need this service as soon as possible, hopefully in advance of the beginning of the school year.