The Taoiseach will have seen the campaign run by parents to get special school places for their children both nationally and in Cork. They have fought a Trojan campaign. There was an announcement last week that there would be additional places but it is an absolute scandal that parents must go out and fight for their children's right to an education. In 2022, there was an announcement for the new special school in Carrignavar in County Cork. There is now a fear that this school will not be open in September and may not be opened at all. I have two simple questions for the Taoiseach. Have the capacity issues in Carrignavar been resolved? Will the new special school in Carrignavar be opened this year?

The new school in Carrignavar will be open. It may not be ready for September - it has been announced already that there will be a contingency plan for students who will be in a temporary building in Fermoy - but the works are progressing on Carrignavar. The site is an old primary school, as the Deputy knows.

Yes.

That is agreed and is progressing. Again, the number of special classes provided in the past four years has doubled and the number of students attending special classes has gone from-----

Taoiseach, it was Irish Water-----

-----9,000 to 19,000. The population is increasing, as are the numbers identifying with special needs. Our job and obligation is to provide every child with a place and that is the objective. I am now informed - as of the latest this morning - that up to 4,000 additional places will be provided this year from the beginning of September. The aim is for every child in the coming weeks to know their place. That is the objective. I spoke this morning to the Ministers for Education and special education-----

It is Irish Water that cannot facilitate this. There is no capacity in Carrignavar.

Thank you, Deputy Gould. He can write to the Taoiseach. I call Deputy Stanley.