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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Special and secondary school places

Summary

Deputy Kerrane says children in Monksland need special class places, and Deputy Whitmore says children in Greystones-Kilcoole still lack secondary places for September. The Tánaiste says he will speak to the Minister, cites expansion in special education provision, and says children should get appropriate places.

We are out of time, but I will take 30-second questions from the three remaining Deputies.

Comment on this

In recent weeks, I have been contacted by parents in Monksland in south County Roscommon who have no special class place for their children in September. I am told that there are 18 children in Monksland alone who have no school place. Of course, this is just one area. In one case, a mother has tried seven local schools with no luck. Another mother has been told that the only school she can get into would mean a three-hour round trip for her child. Both of their sons have autism. Will the Tánaiste ensure there are special class places for all children who need them by September? Parents are worried sick and stressed and we need more special class places, especially in the Athlone, Ballinasloe and south Roscommon area.

Comment on this

There are approximately 20 children in the Greystones-Kilcoole area who are in sixth class at the moment and still do not have a secondary school place for September. Their sixth class year will finish in ten weeks' time. Their peers are getting their yearbooks ready, going to open days in their secondary schools and picking their subjects, but these children still have no idea where they will go to school in September. It is wholly unacceptable to treat parents and children in this manner. It is the absolute opposite of being child-centred in education. We have been promised for months now that there would be an answer from the Department of Education on this and that those places would be provided. Will the Tánaiste please let us and those parents know when the children will be told they will have places and where they will be going?

Comment on this

The Central Bank has just produced the latest liability data up to 21 December 2022. It has taken 15 months to publish that.

Will Government give a commitment to publish the 2023 data before the summer recess to see what is happening in the insurance market? The headline takeaways in terms of the report that was just published are that insurance profit margins have risen 55% in the last year, in comparison with 9% and 14% in the previous two years, but liability insurance cover has risen this year by 8%. The cost of settlements continues to drop and is now down €43 million, or 14%, but legal costs have increased overall compensation costs by over 60%. I ask the Tánaiste to please have a look at this. Will he also look at speeding up the licensing for new underwriters through regulation? It is taking up to three years. Surely we can do it in much less time.

Comment on this

Deputy Kerrane raised the issue of 18 children with no school places for special classes. I will talk to the Minister for Education about that. Much progress has been made in the last three years. Seven new special schools have been established and there has been a massive expansion of SNAs and special education teachers. The basic principle is that children who need a place should be given one, and not just any place but one that is appropriate to the individual child's needs.

I will talk to the Minister in respect of the 20 children mentioned by Deputy Whitmore. I presume that is an urban growth issue in terms of the capacity of schools and so on but, again, maybe temporary provision can be made in prefabricated buildings or whatever is required.

There is an issue emerging on foot of the significant reforms that have been undertaken by this Government in respect of insurance, as mentioned by Deputy Shanahan. All the major items that were identified at the commencement of the Government have been dealt with, legislated for and implemented, but we have not seen the level of premium reductions that should reflect the reforms. We have seen increased margins and profitability of the insurance companies. There is an issue there that needs to be addressed.

Comment on this