Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-23
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

I thank Deputy Guirke for raising this issue in relation to Shannen and her children. I am pleased to hear that Evie is thriving but I very much take the point about people wanting their child to be able to thrive in their own community and not be isolated from that community. I take the point. There is also anxiety as to whether Fionn will have an appropriate place. The budget we are working through for 2026 allocated funding for 433 additional special classes. Of these, 432 have been sanctioned and this week the Government allocated significant additional resources to the Department of education. Much of this will be for special education to increase further the number of classes. I believe we will need a number much closer to 600 by this September. If Deputy Guirke wants to send the specific details to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, I will ask that she comes back to him directly.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-23