Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

There is clearly a need for looking at the way that services are provided for children in all the different sectors. There will be 10,575 special needs assistants in the system who will deliver a very valuable service and make a very valuable contribution to the children's education. The posts that have been held back deliberately by the Minister are to deal with priority cases that clearly should have access and, therefore, will have access to special needs assistants.

In a general sense, we need to look at the way services are delivered through our education system. The Minister has made the point that the population projections require a certain number of schools to be built for second level and primary level education and is making arrangements for that to happen, unlike the construction of vast sprawling estates where consideration was not given to the provision of any school, primary or secondary in the area. As a result land prices went through the roof and it became impossible to buy sites, which led to pressure groups advocating for transport or about overcrowded building and the use of prefabs.

In regard to the cases raised by Deputy McGrath, I will remind the Minister for Education and Skills that he has received a number of cases and if they are worthy and deemed to be a priority, as all children are a priority, no school will be without contact with an SNA if it needs it and no child will be left without contact with an SNA if he or she needs it. I share that view with all Deputies. It is critical not only to get the children to a point where they can develop their own potential at primary level, but that there will be some process to make progress when they move from the primary to the second level system. This is an area we will focus on, as this was not done in the past. We do not want to go down the road of endless court cases. Common sense must apply in all walks of life. An analysis of the way we deliver these services is worthy of consideration, which I am sure is being reflected in the Private Members' business.

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