E-ticketing and the collection of data on school transport are hugely important. We have seen an increase in the State funding being provided, from €200 million to €527 million currently. Demand is growing in terms of the number of people who are looking to access the school transport system. Since 2018, the number of students travelling on it has grown by 50%. Deputy Burke is aware, from people telling him about challenges in regard to buses, that some of the buses do not have full occupancy. We are constantly bei…

The work is ongoing with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann. We have to implement the reform and get the data. There is a huge body of work to be done but we intend to do it as soon as possible.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. If he does not mind, I will depart a little from the script with which I have been provided. It is hugely important. We are talking about inclusion and making sure we get the best possible education for children with additional needs as they go through primary and post-primary school. As the Deputy rightly said, we are announcing more special classes. We are really trying to make the education system fit for purpose in meeting the needs of students with additional needs. As…

The Department is keenly aware of it. There is always room for improvement and we are very understanding of that. We are challenged every day to make sure the education system is improving into the future right across the education system and, indeed, for special education as well. What we are going to invest in special education now will have huge benefits for students, families and society in the long term. I firmly believe that it will give a greater understanding. Parity of esteem is one thing, and automatic ce…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. If memory serves, in a previous incarnation in a previous life, he raised this issue at an education committee. That is going back some time. I thank him for raising and outlining the issue in relation to Lucan Community College. The Department of Education and Youth is progressing the delivery of a large timber frame modular extension to Lucan Community College. The project will deliver nine additional classrooms, a science laboratory and preparation area and a design and technica…

I thank the Deputy for outlining the challenges within the school community as well. It is important we have the best possible school environment for all students. Every student, no matter what their ability, must have a positive experience within the school. Phase 1 of the project is on-site and for delivery. The quality of the building going in is top class, as I understand it. That is moving at pace. The Deputy is looking for clarity in relation to how we are going to do the next phases of the project. I will li…

I thank the Deputies for raising the issue. I compliment them as constituency TDs because nearly every issue they raise is done on a cross-party basis. It is great to see it because education is so important. It is very important to be unified. We have had a number of issues with the Deputies we are working on but it is important to acknowledge the co-operation they have on this. This shows me the challenges there are in relation to the school and the decision that was taken. A major project for the school was to b…

With any funding going in from the State to new schools and buildings, it is important we have the special education part of it as well. That is a decision that has been taken by us in the Department to ensure we are accommodating children with additional needs within any new build. I take the point it has been 12 years. There was mention of 2011 and 2014. It has been too long. There is a report in with the Department and I will endeavour to find out where that is at. I also take the point that sometimes we spend a…

I will take this in two parts. I thank the Senator very much. I know her huge interest in education, including special education, goes back a long time. She and I have worked together in various capacities over the last while. I, therefore, accept the Senator's bona fides on these issues. I will go through the building project for St. Anne's Special School in the Curragh. The project is included in the Department of education's construction programme, which will be delivered under the national development plan as p…

I do, unfortunately. I have been warned to be in the-----

It is an eight-minute bell.

If the bell stops, I will still have time to get to the Chamber.

The Senator has undertaken to do that and will come back to us on it. The principals, wider leaderships and entire school communities in special schools, be they teachers, special needs assistants, SNAs, or bus escorts, are super human beings and do amazing work for our most vulnerable.

I thank St. Anne's team for the work it does. We are commencing this weekend a regional engagement with all the leaders of special schools in locations around the country to see the challenges they are facing. We are meeting the principals to have informal discussions. We begin in Sligo this week and we have a number of others over the next couple of weeks. We want to get a sense. I have had meetings with special schools in terms of the insurance and funding mechanisms, and we have done some work in relation to the…

I welcome all the distinguished guests to Leinster House. I hope they enjoy their day. It is always a special day when students or anybody visits the seat of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. I hope they enjoy their day and whatever benefit is in it. I did not realise that the Acting Chairperson had the imprimatur to give homework off. It is something I must look up the Standing Orders for.

Would there be any chance that-----

I thank Senator O'Reilly for raising the issue. In the first instance this year, as opposed to other years, we have started the sanctioning of classes much earlier. We have 432 classes sanctioned already. That is because we had an earlier date for notification of 1 October. An awful lot of forward planning is being done in relation to special education and over the past number of years, the amount of money that has been put into primary and post-primary education has been absolutely huge by any yardstick. It is als…

I cannot accept that there is overcrowding. We are looking at how best to ensure teachers, SNAs and support teams are in place to encourage students and to make sure we are as inclusive as possible. Not every student can be mainstreamed but we need to make sure that where it is possible we have the best possible support in place. It is also taking a child with special educational needs through primary school and post-primary school and equipping them as best we can for life after school as well. That is the premise…

I thank the Deputies for the opportunity to speak in the debate. I thank everybody who has contributed so sincerely and genuinely this evening. They can rest assured that both the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and I will take due recognition of each and every one of the points that has been made. The old Irish saying that it takes a village to raise a child is never truer than when a child has special needs. It takes an extraordinary school community to ensure that a child can flourish. I want to use this opportunity …

I thank Senator Andrews for raising the issues in relation to the schools in Westland Row and Ringsend. In the overall sense, the Department has a number of funding streams in emergency funding and summer works funding to deal with ongoing maintenance issues. The Senator outlined the issues in relation to downpipes and toilets. I understand the challenges when you are working in a building that is old and needs constant upgrading. That can dampen the spirit not alone of the teams teaching and working there, the SNA…