Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)

I assure the Deputy there is no lack of political will. If he looks at what we have been able to achieve in recent years, he will note that over 28,000 children are now being supported in special schools and classes. Since 2019, just five years ago, there has been a 15% increase in the number of special education teachers and a 30% increase in the number of special needs assistants. Budget 2024 – we will be working on this in the provision for next year as well – provided for an additional 744 special education teachers and over 1,200 additional special needs assistants. Eleven special schools have been established since 2019 and there has been €4.8 billion in capital funding. However, from time to time all of us receive specific examples of parents finding it difficult to have their children placed in the appropriate education. We still have to work on that, but I can tell the Deputy there is no lack of political will or investment. We are increasing the numbers of teachers and SNAs in this space, too.

See this speech in context