After a campaign by parents, there are now four primary-level autism spectrum disorder, ASD, classes in my town of Skerries, in the Educate Together National School, with two more due on stream. However, there are no places for these kids in secondary schools. As sure as night follows day, a child who starts in primary school will hopefully progress into secondary school. Temporary accommodation was provided for mainstream students in Skerries Community College while the college awaits its extension, which has been stalled since 2020.

However, no temporary accommodation has been provided for kids who need to be in an ASD classroom. Parents are getting frantic at this stage. They have been in touch with my office because they know that not only are there no secondary places in our town but neither are there any in surrounding towns. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, the board of management and the parents all agree this is necessary. They tell me the blockage is within the Department of Education. Will the Tánaiste engage with the Minister for Education and come up with a solution, even if it is only a temporary solution while we await the school's extension being built?

I do not understand why there would be a blockage in the Department of Education in terms of a temporary building. There have been approximately 1,700 new special classes in mainstream schools in the past four years, so we are consistently expanding at the moment. There are 11 new specialist schools, 7,600 more special education teachers and so on. In the past four years, 4,000 more special needs assistants have been provided. A physical building obviously cannot be put in place in months but if children need accommodation, I will talk to the Minister and the Minister of State with responsibility for special education on this. The NCSE is increasing its staff and so on with a view to making sure we can get places for children for September.