Every year, year in, year out, we are at this, where parents scramble for places for their children with special educational needs, and every year it becomes clearer and clearer that this State is abjectly failing in its duty to these children. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have repeatedly failed children with additional educational needs, their families and the professionals who support them. The Government says it is spending more. Of course it is; our population is growing. An appropriate school place for children with additional needs is essential for their long-term development in order that they can become functioning adults. The last time I was speaking about special education I spoke about how some of these children are ending up in prisons. I spoke about one person in particular in Kildare who did. He is not costing the State any more money because the poor man is dead. He was denied the special education he needed and he ended up in jail. We have children who are travelling long distances to other schools outside their communities. Many children really struggle with this. I know of children from Meath coming to Kildare and vice versa. Children deserve to have their education in their local area, where they are making friends and they can go out an play on the road. Last year, we had a massive outpouring from parents who thought there was no other option but to sleep in tents on Marlborough Street, outside the Department of education. This is an absolutely desperate situation for these parents to be in. We have a great special school in Maynooth. I visited it recently and it is a great facility, but like most things the Government does it did not finish it. The car park is unsafe for the children. It is a gold-standard building, but it needs to be finished. The capitation grant does not meet the needs of children with special educational needs. Saplings Special School in Kill is struggling massively in its current premises, which is an old, dilapidated building, with toilets and sensory rooms that are well below par. Despite the fabulous staff, the schools are simply not fit for purpose. Toilet seats are broken and the capitation grant does not meet what these schools need.

Sentiment score: 0.01