Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like the previous speaker, I would like to acknowledge some good news. We often stand up here and we criticise and say things are not good enough. However, over the last five years, I have been raising the case of Bandon Grammar School and its inability to access funding from the Department of Education for a special class for autism. There is an issue regarding the ability of fee-paying schools to access this funding. This has meant that for the last decade, in particular, Bandon Grammar School could only provide services through its own means as it got no support from the Department.

I am delighted to report that in the last week there has been a significant move here. It is the first fee-paying school outside of Dublin that has now gotten funding for a special class and that is really important. The special classes are an important part of our school ethos now. The idea of having special classrooms has resulted in a holistic approach to education. It was appalling that a school the size of Bandon Grammar School was not getting funding for that for the last decade.

I compliment, in particular, the principal and the former principal as well as the trustees who have waived all fees pertaining to this. It is now open to the entire community and anyone and everyone has the opportunity to apply for those places. It is a significant development for that community. I acknowledge the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, in particular. She visited the school with me on occasion and she and her Department worked with me to remove this barrier, so that now we have the opportunity to have special classes in every school that wants to have them.