I thank the Deputy, who has raised this issue with me previously. When we are talking about special classes in general, we have to look at it in the context of the journey that we have been on. That is not to say that we still have a great deal of work to do but we have increased the number of special classes by 386% since 2011 and that is quite significant. At the end of December, we will have 2,437 classes opened. Three hundred of those are new classes this year. We are creating approximately 1,700 special class …

To reassure the Deputy, there is intensive ongoing engagement with all of these schools by the local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, in the Dublin 12 area and I am consistently briefed on what is happening when I ask. Scoil Úna Naofa is employing consultants, as I said, to oversee building works and we hope that it will happen as soon as possible. The aim is to open for September. I will never stand here in the Dáil and give an absolute guarantee or make a promise about anything but I know that the bes…

I met the archbishop in Our Lady of Good Hope and we had a conversation around special schools and special classes. They are very active and really want to try and provide that inclusivity where they can. We can all accept that sometimes there are legitimate reasons where schools do not have the capacity and, in those circumstances, we can either try to provide that building work where they can facilitate special classes or we must accept the fact that they cannot and try to find additional capacity elsewhere. That…

I thank the Deputy. As he knows, I myself have a son doing the leaving certificate. He is in the middle of his mocks at the moment. Deputy Durkan is right that the past two years have been especially difficult due to the pandemic. Obviously, the Minister announced adjustments around greater choice in the papers and fewer questions to answer while allowing the same amount of time to completing the examination as is permitted in normal years. Students are also having their oral exams and the music practicals over the…

Regarding the leaving certificate more generally for children without additional needs, the right balance has been struck in trying to cater for them as best we can, bearing in mind the difficulties that they have faced over the past two years. I am satisfied that we have made reasonable accommodations for children with additional needs. The scheme aims to remove access barriers to exams while retaining the fairness element for all students. The need to assess the same underlying skills and competencies will always…

If there is time, I will ask the Minister to respond to that question. Regarding Deputy Durkan's question on assistance, 8,936 special exam centres have been set up at a cost of €5 million for children with additional needs. That assistance will be available through these centres and everything will be done to assist the children in doing the leaving certificate.

I met Ms Ford and some members of the school staff outside Leinster House with the Deputy, who has been a strong advocate for the school. At my request, the NCSE met the school on Friday to discuss the issues of concern. At the meeting, the SENO explained the basis for the allocation of SNA support. The SENO will engage further with parents in this regard. SNAs have to be deployed by schools themselves in a manner that best meets their needs and care supports. As I told Ms Ford, an additional 1,165 SNAs have been a…

To stress, the decision is not mine. Rather, it is a decision for the NCSE. However, the NCSE is fully aware from the meeting last Friday of the genuine concerns of Tullydonnell National School in County Louth. A decision on allocations will be made over the next number of weeks. I will not give any guarantee in the Dáil, as I do not make promises or give guarantees, but suffice it to say that the NCSE is aware of the school's concerns. An additional 1,165 SNAs are coming on stream and, if required, I hope that the…

I certainly do not, but it is important to say that SNAs should be deployed by a school in a manner that best meets the care support requirements of the kids enrolled in that school. I have heard this school's concerns and the NCSE knows its concerns. I hope that there will be a satisfactory conclusion - I want that also. I thank the Deputy for advocating on behalf of the school so strongly.

There is no need to shout.

There is no need to shout.

The Deputy can make his point without shouting.

We are still lawyers, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

That is true although neither of us is practising at present. I thank the Deputy for raising this important Topical Issue matter. He will appreciate that I am taking this today on behalf of the Minister for Education. Transport is not directly under my remit. The Deputy is quite correct, however. A review is ongoing at the moment. I understand that recommendations will be coming shortly from the steering group, which will examine issues such as the effectiveness of the scheme, sustainability, climate action, rural …

That is the briefing I have here. I also understand from the Department's response that there are no plans at present to recognise both as one education centre. The Deputy is correct that there are two post-primary schools in Carrigtwohill, that is, Carrigtwohill Post-Primary School and St Aloysius' College, and four in Midleton, namely, Midleton CBS Secondary School, St. Mary's High School, St. Colman's Community College and Midleton College. I also understand that 168 pupils who live in Carrigtwohill avail of tra…

I hear what the Deputy is saying around this. My understanding from my instructions, to use a legal phrase, is that the Department has no plans-----

-----to recognise one centre. That is not to say it will not, however. I think it will consider this following the Deputy's contribution. There is certainly an argument for a more streamlined approach, bearing in mind the criteria, difficulties and challenges parents are facing and the stress delineated by him. I would surmise that because this review is ongoing, this is something that will be looked at. As I said earlier, my understanding is that recommendations will be coming shortly from the steering group, whic…

I appreciate that. The Deputy and I speak about this outside the Dáil Chamber on a regular basis. I will obviously take that very seriously and look to see what we can do in that regard.

I thank the Deputy. This is a real topical issue at the moment. I want to reiterate the Government's position that the continuing Russian military action against Ukraine is illegal and immoral. As the Government has stated, the priority is a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of the Russian military from Ukrainian territory. The Deputy is quite right that the war in Ukraine has caused a humanitarian crisis on a scale we have not seen for many decades in Europe. That will require a wh…

As a teacher, the Deputy has experience of educating children. As a country, we need to look at novel, innovative approaches for how we will educate Ukrainian nationals. Teachers who come from Ukraine will be able to teach in their mother tongue, which will be of assistance to these children. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment will publish resources to support learners with English as an additional language. It may well be that some sort of compromise will be found between folding children into the …