Simon Harris

No, sorry, that is a commitment. It is a very clear commitment.

It is a very clear commitment to make progress.

Deputy Boyd Barrett let the mask slip here. He believes his question and the ferocity of his question are better than all their questions-----

-----and more valuable. It is not. The Deputy is definitely a passionate contributor, but everybody in government and opposition-----

This a parliamentary democracy and everyone has a right to put their question-----

-----and I am going to vindicate the right of my party colleagues.

This is the Dáil.

That is a bit unfair.

I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for the question. I also thank him for meeting me and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney and for bringing some of his constituents to see me about this issue. The stress, anxiety and worry of the people the Deputy brought to meet me are experiencing was very clear. I acknowledge that. Before we get into science, guidelines and everything else, I accept the bona fides of…

I have acknowledged that this has gone on for a very long time. That is true, and there is no getting away from it. I have also tried to provide, which I accept may be cold comfort to some of the Deputy's constituents and people he has interacted with, some of the rationale behind that, including the evolving planning legislation, the national planning framework and, more crucially perhaps, the br…

I will ask the new Minister, Deputy Browne, to provide the Deputy with a timeline and to write to him regarding this matter.

I am conscious of the comments of the Ceann Comhairle in relation of this matter and am respectful of them. This issue was raised in the House by the Deputy's colleague Deputy Farrell two weeks ago. I commented on the matter then and I have also commented on it in the media. In doing so, at all times I have been very conscious of the privacy of the individual involved and their wish for no further…

I have also said that this was an incident that happened many years before my leadership.

I accept the Deputy has been constructive in her framing but I have seen very little evidence of calm in this place today or in recent days on this matter. I am always happy to engage but I am also respectful of process. The Dáil reform committee, which has representatives of all our parties, has now concluded its process by way of a democratic vote. I do not intend to undermine that or undermine …

I thank Deputy Hearne for raising what is a very important matter. I spoke to the Minister for Education on this issue this morning. I met this week the Ministers for Education and Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for disability specifically on the issue of children's disability services. There was an announcement today by the Minister for Education and the Minister of State wi…

Every child has a constitutional right to a place.

On such a serious issue, the Deputy does not need to say people are rambling on. We are trying to sort this issue for parents and children, and to absolutely vindicate their rights. While every child in this State has a right to a school place, every child also needs to have a right to an appropriate school place. The Opposition can laugh all it wants; everything is not always funny.

So do I, Deputy Coppinger, very well.

I know, from a familial perspective, what it is like when you do not get that place. I know that, so do not lecture me on this stuff. We know.

We are going to address the issue. As recently as today, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, made an announcement regarding additional capacity in special education. The Minister for Education intends to engage directly with parents. Any parent would do anything for his or her child and I do not want to see any parent having to sleep out. Rather, I wish to see…

We will engage with them.

I thank Deputy O'Connor and I will absolutely bring this issue directly, as I know he has, to both the Minister for Education and the Minister of State with responsibility for special education. I will ask them to come back to the Deputy through the NCSE regarding Youghal and how we can increase capacity in east Cork. In both the Deputy's constituency and many other constituencies, people are wor…

I thank Deputy Carrigy for that. This is a very important project. It is a strategic corridor from Dublin to the north-west region and the Border counties. The project is about 54 km in length, connecting Mullingar and Westmeath to Roosky in Longford. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Canney, reminds me that his Department is well aware of this project. The emerging pre…

Like the Deputy, we all have been working tirelessly on this issue and no one on the Government side is in any way dismissive about this. I thank Deputy Lawless for raising this important issue. I have spoken to the Minister for communications, Deputy O'Donovan, and I have asked him to come back to the Deputy directly today regarding more information and timelines, including for Ballinamore nursin…

I am due to meet shortly, along with the Minister for Health, with some people specifically on this issue. It is an area in which we need to do a lot better. I undertake to look specifically at the recommendations and suggestions put forward yesterday by Cared Ireland. Either the Minister for Health or I will come back directly to the Deputy on this.