Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I raised with the Taoiseach previously the case of Jack McNiffe from County Kildare and the issue of July provision. Funding for students in special classes for the summer programme of the July provision had been reduced from €60 per student in 2022 to €45 in 2023 and now to €30 in 2024. The Taoiseach challenged me when I raised the issue before and he questioned the figures. My figures are accurate today; they were accurate then. In fact, the head teachers in primary schools across the State are reporting real stress and difficulty because of these cuts. I put it to the Taoiseach before and I put it to him again that these cuts should be reversed. I do not want him to come back and tell me that the global budget is bigger. I am specifying these particular capitation rates. They are causing a big difficulty. The questions that are being asked relate to child poverty. If we are serious about tackling child poverty and providing for children, particularly those in some cases with very complex needs, then the Government cannot be cutting capitation levels like that, year after year. The Government needs to reverse those decisions as a demonstration of its seriousness in this area of policy.

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