This is not the first time we have brought forward proposals on special education during this Dáil term, nor is it the second or the third. This is Sinn Féin's fourth Private Members' business on special education. Despite our best efforts, every time we have brought forward solutions, the Minister and her Government have consistently let families and their children down. The issues are only getting worse. The recent SNA crisis, the closure of early intervention classes and having the largest class sizes in Europe show that this Government is failing our children. Tonight, in the Public Gallery, a young woman named Grace and her father are here. Her father has tirelessly advocated on her behalf and has lived experience of our special education system. She sent me a letter where she explains how her mild-general learning disability school has done so much for her educational and personal development. I really want the Minister and Minister of State to hear this. Grace wrote: Everything changed when I started at this school. I was finally given the space to learn at my own pace. This support has allowed me to thrive. I feel safe, happy and positive about my future. I have a great circle of friends and I feel welcome every day. However, I am worried that if you redesignate our school, other children who are just like me will not receive the opportunities I have. I am proof that this school works. Please protect our school's designation so that the children coming after me can also find their confidence. I agree with Grace. It is shameful that mild-general learning disability, MGLD, schools are being redesignated by stealth. The State can protect children like Grace tonight by supporting our motion, which calls for these redesignations to stop immediately. Over the weekend, I spoke with Linda in Kildare, who told me she could not get an appropriate school place for her child. She spends seven hours of her day in her car just to get her children to school and home again. Linda's children are considered the lucky ones because they actually have a school place. Meanwhile, there are children doing additional years in preschool because they have no school place and then there are children who the Government has completely abandoned. They have no choice but to remain at home, like Zoe. Her mammy, Rachel, wrote to me and told me her story. Zoe was in an inappropriate school place that did not meet her needs. She should be in first class now but has been homeschooled by Rachel for the past few years. She has told me that she has joined every possible waiting list but just cannot get a place for Zoe. Does Zoe not deserve to be in school, learning and playing with her peers? This is just another example of how children with additional needs are being treated as less than. Arís is arís eile, this Government is failing to deliver. Mar sin iarraim ar an Rialtas anocht ní hamháin chun tacú leis an rún seo, ach chun gníomhú air gan mhoill. Tá sé thar am ceartas a thabhairt do na páistí seo agus dá dteaghlaigh. Déanaigí an rud ceart.

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