Ballyduff National School has been serving the community since 1839 and has been in the current building for the past 60 years. There are currently 96 pupils attending. It has had an autism class for the past few years with six pupils, and that is full, but there are five other children who are currently struggling to access the curriculum because they do not have the supports that would be there from an autism class. There are five qualified children and two awaiting assessment. There will be an ongoing need into the future. They have a room and the changing facilities. All the resources are in place to do this and all the children, I am sure the Tánaiste will agree, should have the right to be educated locally in their own community. There is a want and a need. The school is ready, willing and able to provide it. It has the facilities but parents are very anxious that it has not been approved for a second class. I ask the Tánaiste to look at this and see what he can do to facilitate it.

I thank an Teachta Daly for raising this issue and I will certainly speak directly to the Minister of education on this. There was discussion earlier around the additional budget for education. One of the drivers behind that is the recognition that there will be a need for more special classes now than was even envisaged at budget time. If there is a school ready to assist in that and if there is a need in the community, I know that is something that the Minister will ask the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to look at seriously. I will ask her to come back to the Deputy directly.