Eoghan Kenny

We did, actually.

It was clearly outlined to me just now at the Committee of Public Accounts that the Department of education does not have the number of special classes and special school places available to match the level of need and provide for the number of applicants. Therefore, right now we have children without a place for the next academic year. I was told that all Government leaders are aware of this. Whe…

I thank the Social Democrats and Deputy Rice for bringing this motion forward. I will primarily focus on one aspect of the motion. The motion calls on the Government to "expand the ... [chronic disease management programme] to include severe and enduring mental health difficulties, epilepsy and other conditions as appropriate, in consultation with GPs delivering the service". I am an epileptic. Th…

The Chair should be respected. Over the past two weeks, the Government has let down children with additional needs, special needs assistants, parents, school communities and now special educational needs organisers, SENOs. That is why tonight, across the country, these very people will take to the streets and protest outside the Dáil at 5 p.m. At every opportunity, the Labour Party has welcomed d…

I welcome that.

Did the Taoiseach not know about the levels?

I do not need lectures from the Taoiseach on the role of an SNA-----

I do not need lectures from the Taoiseach on the role of an SNA. I know what they are about. I said at the beginning that I welcome the development of SNAs. I did not need the figures. I know the figures and I welcome them. As a State, we have to accept the reality. The level of resources did not keep up with the level of need. That is the reality. We were able to get €19 million overnight. Was i…

That is completely untrue.

You are telling untruths.

Will every child get a place in a special class?

I spoke on this last night here in the Dáil and again today with the Taoiseach. This has been an absolutely catastrophic number of weeks for so many people for whom this matter has caused so much stress. I said last night that, as a Parliament, we have to take account of the fact that so many children, particularly those with additional needs, along with parents, SNAs and school communities, were…

Hear, hear.

Oh no, we have not done that.

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing the motion forward. I welcome the fact there will be statements on this in the Dáil tomorrow. I welcome any parents, SNAs or students who are in the Gallery. The Minister and Minister of State will appreciate this has been a significantly difficult two weeks for SNAs, school communities, parents and children with additional needs. I have met and spoken with a number…

On behalf of my colleague, Deputy Robert O'Donoghue, I welcome the Tidy Towns group from Rush. Over the last number of days, there has been an absolute outcry of support for special needs assistants, SNAs, school communities, children with special educational needs and SNA provision for the coming academic year. This outcry and this stress have been caused by the Government and policy decisions t…

With all due respect, while I agree with the stuff the Tánaiste has said, he has not answered any of my questions. He raised the issue of care needs. Does he accept that the care needs system has become too rigid? I am putting on the record of the Dáil that those who are on the autism spectrum and those who have inclusion needs, social anxiety or academic needs, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or dy…

This is the second time today that I have spoken about SNA reviews. I raised the matter earlier with the Tánaiste on Leaders' Questions. The Minister of State knows that this is the most pressing issue right now. It is going to affect so many students across the country. I have lost count of the number of schools that have contacted me. Later, I will be meeting online with parents, students, princ…

I concur with all of my colleagues who have spoken. I presume the engagements involve the Minister of State, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for education. If there is somebody else involved, I would appreciate if we were informed of that. In that meeting tonight, can I inform parents, SNAs, teachers and students that for now, this pause will be lifted in the coming weeks? Can I also …

We have heard a load of waffle from the Minister of State with responsibility for employment. It is the most anti-worker speech I have heard in this Chamber. He has given a speech, as Minister of State for employment, about the "right to request remote working" that is the biggest load of waffle he could ever say to any worker who believes that they should be given a right to remote working. It s…

Is that a commitment?

What does that mean?

Can I have statements in the Dáil with the Minister for Education and Youth to explain why she has now paused the SNA reviews, why her Department has caused such stress to SNAs, parents and students with additional needs and if these decisions will be reversed? How dare the Taoiseach come in here and say schools are used to appeals. It is shameful and it looks like now the NCSE is asking teachers…

Read the letter.

Read the letter.