Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)

Before I begin, I send my deepest sympathies to Andrew and Mary Rogers, the parents of Marie Claire Rogers, a young nurse who died tragically and very suddenly in Australia. She was just 24 years of age and was from Togher in County Louth. My sympathies are with her family, friends and teammates in Naomh Fionnbarra. There is a GoFundMe page set up to repatriate her back from Australia and I urge people to support that.

I just got off the phone to a young mum - Emma - in Bettystown County Meath, who was very distressed. Her son Alex, who is 12 years of age, has autism and has no secondary school place. It took her four years to try to get a primary school unit for him in County Meath and she is now going through the same process again. She has tried four local schools and is on a waiting list as they are all full. She is at a loss to what she needs to do now. I invite a debate with the Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee, on what we are going to do about the serious pressing issue of secondary school places and units not being available for children with autism in Louth and Meath.