Ballyporeen special class
Deputy McGrath sought a resolution for a ready special class in Ballyporeen school after the NCSE said only one child now qualifies. The chair intervened to keep order, and the Tánaiste promised to speak with the relevant Ministers and ask them to resolve the issue for the children.
It is a pity the Minister of State has just left. I want to raise a situation about a special class in Ballyporeen school in County Tipperary. The principal there, Mr. Shane Molan, and the community council have come together. The community council purchased the old school. They upgraded it with a grant and are willing to give it at a very low cost - a nominal fee - to the school. Six children were enrolled in this class, and they had approval. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, stated that there is only one child in the class. Five have qualified from the school for the special needs class. They have been left in limbo and it is so late in the year now. The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, is not in the Chamber but, to be fair, he is doing his best and he has insisted that the NCSE engage with the school because there is goodwill there. The community council wants to provide it and the building is on the same campus. It is a unique situation. However, these people had the expectation of a place but now it has been pulled. The same happened in Bansha, although maybe it had not gone as far, and Killusty. I know Deputy Michael Murphy raised this last week as well. We need engagement with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and we need the NCSE to be fair here and acknowledge there are five children in the school.
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My daughter, Treasa, teaches there and is very happy there, so I know the situation intimately, as Deputy Michael Murphy does from Councillors Murphy and Máirín McGrath. The situation is-----
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They were so excited and looking forward to the school. The building is ready. The building is being officially opened shortly. We need a resolution to this.
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I thank Deputy McGrath very much for raising this important matter. I will speak with both the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, with regard to that and see if we can find a resolution that works for everybody and most particularly works for the children. As the Deputy said, their excitement was palpable with regard to this. Let me talk to the two Ministers and ask them to come back to the Deputy directly to see if progress can be made.