8. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on staffing issues in a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58318/25]

Sentiment score: 0.01

I did not hear what the Minister of State said at the outset. Initially, there were nine special educational needs, SEN, teachers and 18 SNAs. The Minister of State said there was an additional SEN teacher. How many SNAs?

Sentiment score: 0.10

Are they recent additions?

Sentiment score: 0.00

The Minister of State said that the Department is in contact with the school on an ongoing basis. Has the review that was instigated upon the arrival of officials from the NCSE and the Department concluded in the school? Is there any prospect of additional resources or has it been deemed that the resources provided heretofore are sufficient? As the Minister of State said, St. Gabriel’s deals in many cases, if not most, with students with severe intellectual disabilities and complex needs. Many also have autism. It is a particularly vulnerable cohort of students who need to be afforded every help we can give them. Could the Minister of State clarify if there is any further review pending or if further staff are due to be deployed to the school? As he knows, several parents were particularly upset when they received the initial email from school management stating their children could be on a temporary part-time schedule. Have those concerns been alleviated?

Sentiment score: 0.02

I genuinely acknowledge the Minister of State’s involvement in this. I rang him on Thursday night, when this story was about to break, and he got straight on to the school the following morning. That was appreciated by the parents and the school management. I seek clarification on one or two more points. The Minister of State said the NCSE is due to follow up this week. I realise he is not going to disclose on the floor of the Dáil what the result of the SNA review will be, but I reiterate the requirement that probably exists. The Minister of State mentioned that there are other related issues. I am not sure if they are sensitive. If he cannot disclose what they are, could he mention the issues he can talk about on the floor of the Dáil. One SEN teacher was appointed temporarily a number of weeks ago when this issue emerged. Is that the additional SEN teacher along with the 17 SNAs he mentioned or is it a SEN teacher in addition to that allocation?

Sentiment score: 0.05