Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

The conduct of the Government parties this evening is absolutely despicable. They have 113 Deputies in the House and only two of them are present. That is no reflection on the Minister of State or Deputy Harris but no other Member is on the Fine Gael or Labour Party benches. Does that reflect the interest the Government has in special needs for the most vulnerable children in our society or are they hiding because they travelled around the country last January and February promising at every door where this issue was brought up that there would be no cuts to this service or to the number of SNAs, that the same number of resource teachers would be maintained and, if at all possible, they would extend the system of supports for children with special needs to preschools?

Like Deputy Mattie McGrath, I heard the promises that Labour Party and Fine Gael politicians gave at the doors in south Tipperary. At a public meeting of parents and SNAs in Clonmel last night, we were told by many of them that their doors were knocked on by Labour Party canvassers for Phil Prendergast, MEP, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform who gave assurances to parents and SNAs that this scheme would be supported and expanded, if possible. These Members are hiding and it is time they came into the House and explained themselves. Previous speakers highlighted that not too long ago a motion was tabled by the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Brian Hayes, and supported by the Minister for Education and Skills when they were in opposition. Deputy Quinn stated:

This motion, which the Labour Party unreservedly supports, asks the Minister to recognise the validity of one-to-one teaching for some children... The existing provisions are the absolute minimum that we would look for.

Such commitments were given in the House by the current Government parties and on the doors last January and February during the election campaign.

The issue of children with special educational needs is important and it is dear to the hearts of their parents. At last night's public meeting, parents told their stories. They are fearful of the future and they do not know how their children will get on without the support of SNAs. They are also fearful that down the road, because their children may not get the necessary support at the right age, they could end up in residential institutions. That is a significant fear for parents.

It is not good enough for the Minister for Education and Skills to throw his hands in the air and say our economic sovereignty is gone. This is a wealthy country with €250 billion in the hands of the wealthiest 5% of the population. We do not have a wealth tax but I believe it is time for the Minister for Finance to introduce such a tax. Many European countries and states in America have a wealth tax. A former Fine Gael Minister for Finance, Richie Ryan, introduced a wealth tax in the 1970s when there was little or no money around. The wealthiest in our society have €250 billion in assets, excluding property, according to the most recent CSO statistics. The amount increased by €27.3 billion in 2009 and it is estimated by the CSO to have increased by the same amount in 2010. They have personal assets, excluding property, of €136 billion and they do not pay a single red cent.

Is it not time that these people were patriotic? Is it not time the Minister for Finance and the Government made them pay their fair share of taxation and put that money towards supporting SNAs and the most vulnerable children in society? He needs to do that urgently and he needs to fulfil the promise the Government parties made at every door not just in regard to SNAs but in regard to protecting the vulnerable. Cutting the number of SNAs and resource teachers will not protect the most vulnerable children in this society. As previous speakers said, the cost of these cuts will become known at a later date when these children are older and they have to avail of residential institutions.

The point of the support system for children with special needs is to ensure that when they leave school they can fulfil themselves as much as possible - in the same way we all live our lives - by living at home in their own communities, ensuring they do not have to avail of residential units. Their parents should not have to be fearful that they will end up in these units or about what will happen their children when they pass away. That is an important worry for parents. It is time that these cuts were reversed. If they are implemented, there will be almost no SNAs available for children with special needs in junior infant classes. The suggestion is that only children who engage in dangerous behaviour will be supported in junior infants. That is particularly irresponsible because the sooner children who have difficulties are supported, the better the outcome and the more support parents will have.

Parents are also seriously worried about the cutbacks affecting the national educational psychological service. Children must wait for assessments for more than 12 months. In some cases charitable organisations such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have to support parents in getting psychological assessments because of the significant delays involved. I appeal to the Minister tonight to do what he said he would do in opposition, to do what his party said it would do at every door throughout the country in the course of the recent general election, and support children, reverse the cuts and ensure that a proper system is introduced in accordance with the motion tabled by the Technical Group.

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