Thousands of children with disabilities up and down this country are waiting for vital services, therapies and school places. We have been raising their cases in the Dáil. I raised the case of Noah who is autistic and non-verbal, and of Jack who is six. Is it acceptable to the Tánaiste that children are left without services and school places? We know early intervention is key. Will the Tánaiste meet the parents protesting tomorrow outside the Department of Education for school places? Does he agree it is an utter failure of this State that children are left without vital services and school places? Does he accept it is a breach of their constitutional right to education? Will the Tánaiste give a commitment to this House today that all children with autism and special needs will be guaranteed a school place this September?

I thank Deputy Hearne for raising what is a very important matter. I spoke to the Minister for Education on this issue this morning. I met this week the Ministers for Education and Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for disability specifically on the issue of children's disability services. There was an announcement today by the Minister for Education and the Minister of State with responsibility for special education regarding additional special class capacity for the coming year. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, wants to move beyond this year-to-year scramble for a place which is not fair on parents, children or schools. She has instructed the NCSE to not just look for this year but this year to also look for September 12 months. The Minister intends to meet parents either today or tomorrow.

Crucially, on the issue of therapies, we need to urgently advance the programme for Government commitment in respect of putting therapies back in special schools. This is a really important reform and I am happy to engage further on that.

Can you guarantee every child will have a place?

Every child has a constitutional right to a place.

The problem is the Government has breached and failed to vindicate their rights. As a result, more than 50 parents will be gathering to sleep out for 24 hours tomorrow. These are parents who are looking after children with special needs and who feel they have to go to the lengths of doing a 24-hour round-the-clock sleep-out protest outside the Department of Education because the Government cannot give them the school places to which they are legally entitled to by right.

Is the Tánaiste going to save them the trouble of that protest and give them the firm commitment they will get the special needs resources, supports and school places to which their children have a right? Or is he going to just ramble on about abstract rights and we will find ourselves, as we did last year, back around with parents racked with anxiety and uncertainty about the well-being of their vulnerable children?

On such a serious issue, the Deputy does not need to say people are rambling on. We are trying to sort this issue for parents and children, and to absolutely vindicate their rights. While every child in this State has a right to a school place, every child also needs to have a right to an appropriate school place. The Opposition can laugh all it wants; everything is not always funny.

We know.

So do I, Deputy Coppinger, very well.

It is up to your Government. It is all about money.

I know, from a familial perspective, what it is like when you do not get that place. I know that, so do not lecture me on this stuff. We know.

Do not use your brother now.

Please, Deputy.

We are going to address the issue. As recently as today, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, made an announcement regarding additional capacity in special education. The Minister for Education intends to engage directly with parents. Any parent would do anything for his or her child and I do not want to see any parent having to sleep out. Rather, I wish to see meaningful engagement where we can make progress on this issue.

Will the Tánaiste be down there tomorrow at 1 p.m.?

We will engage with them.