Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a fact that the last two times that section 37A was invoked it took, respectively, four months and up to 18 months of discussions. We have children who need a school in September so discussions cannot take up to 18 months to decide whether we have schools places for 100 children and their families. That is why the process is being streamlined back to eight weeks to prevent a situation where there is a lack of places. The NCSE is charged by the Government and the Department to identify where need exists and, therefore, the NCSE needs to hold discussions with the local school.

I fully support this legislation and the provision to streamline the decision time to eight weeks. I reiterate that I hope that we never have to invoke section 37A again because I believe that no school should put any barrier in the way of making a place available for a special class in the school and I believe that every special class should be at the heart of every school.