Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister of State's reply. There is nothing I can argue with as such. She is right. However, I said that while there is no doubt that there has been an increase in special education teaching posts throughout the country, it looks like some of these smaller schools could lose out. I appreciate that the school authorities can have conversations with people within the system, including the NCSE and others, but the school knows of people who are being assessed at present and that it will have more need for this service. If that is now being cut, when the school has a greater need for that service, I can appreciate the difficulty it is in.

I will certainly return to the principal to discuss what the Minister of State has stated. It is to be hoped we will be able to get a solution. I am sure the Minister of State will agree that none of us want a situation where any child will lose out. I appreciate what she said about minimum hours and so on but, as I said, for a smaller school that will have increased enrolments in the coming years, and is currently having people assessed, I see its point of view and the problem it has. I will take up the option indicated by the Minister of State to see if we can get a solution to this.