I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I join him in acknowledging the unbelievable contribution that both secretaries and caretakers play in our school community and thank them for the work they do. Obviously in recent years, progress was made through the WRC and engagement with the secretaries to change the rate of pay and the way in which they were paid. Work is under way to follow through on that and put in place a similar structure for our caretakers. Any future requests, particularly relating to pensions, will have to be agreed across the Government - not just in my Department, but in the Department of public expenditure and reform. We will need to engage on that as a Government when making any future decisions, and not just as it affects secretaries. That engagement is happening.

Sentiment score: 0.39

It is important to outline that as of the end of April, 399 new classes and one class that has been given a legal direction to open, comprising a total of 400 new special classes, are being opened, coupled with places that have become available due to natural movement, meaning 3,900 new spaces are available. What I expect as Minister and what is happening now is that all of those places are being designated. Those young children and people who are known to the National Council for Special Education are being provided with places. The situation is not where we want it to be. This time next year, I hope we will be in a position to say that every child will know exactly where he or she is going. A huge number of children have been allocated places. They know where they are going. That process is continuing throughout the summer. It is so important for planning and making sure that places are open come September that those designations happen earlier and that schools approve and agree earlier. That will happen next year. For children entering school this September, where their classes are not in situ yet and those need to be modular, arrangements are being made with the schools to make sure that children are being brought in and are part of the school community, with transitioning mechanisms in place. Alternatively, in some instances where children are only four years of age, they may spend another year in a preschool. Where they want to be in school, those transitionary arrangements are being put in place.

Sentiment score: 0.23