Advocacy groups have urged Education Minister Norma Foley to reopen schools for 18,000 children with special needs this month.

The country's 4,000 schools are scheduled to remain closed until the end of January at the earliest, but there are concerns that this could go on longer.

Niamh Murray, principal of Rutland Street National School in Dublin 1, told The Last Word that disadvantaged and special needs pupils have been "left out of the narrative".

She was joined by Suzanne Connolly, CEO of Barnardos, and Áine Lynch, Chief Executive of the National Parents Council Primary, who also gave their views.