Special Educational Needs
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-12
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Michael Moynihan (FF), Cork North-West

I appreciate that. I understand. I am fully aware of the work that is going on in Bweeng. I do not want to single out any specific school. I take the point.
If I am realistic, I am heartened each time there is a debate on special education by the commitment across the House and Deputies' fundamental understanding of the challenges that are there in respect of special educational needs and special classes. We are putting in resources. There are almost 25,000 SNAs across the system. We are putting in further supports for educational needs.
I take the point that there is a considerable amount of need within the school communities. We are working extremely closely with them. Neither the Minister, Deputy Naughton, nor I is blind to the challenge we have and the growing need that is there. We are going to continue to expand. We expanded the figures in the most recent budget and will continue to do so. With the resources in the classrooms, we will allow children to grow and develop and to lead as full a life as possible. That is fundamentally what I believe.
I take the Deputies' points. Each school should engage with the process for reviews and appeals. There is a process there. However, I take the point about the seriousness of the engagement.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-12/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-12