Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to speak on this motion. One day last week my phone began to ring and it rang all evening. The calls I received were from a number of concerned parents. I tried to deal with the parents who I am not saying were misled but they were angry at the news that they had heard that there was to be a reduction in the number of special needs assistant posts. I repeat and confirm that there will be no reduction in the number of those posts which are available for allocation to schools. I can understand why those parents were angry. They want to ensure their loved ones get the best education and best attention possible in school and they felt their children's needs were being undermined. I thank the parents for expressing their views. They were very concerned but I appreciate when parents can articulate their views in a measured and mild way. As a Government Deputy, I appreciate when people contact me by phone in a measured and mild mannered way and even though they may be angry, one can reason with them. That has not always been the case in my experience as a Government backbench Deputy during the past two years. Those in opposition have a role to oppose but they also have a role to put clear and concise information into the public domain and sometimes they engage in opposition for the sake of opposition. It does not matter to them if the truth gets lost in a good story but what matters to me is that we deliver a safe and a fair system to everybody.

I thank the Minister for reviewing the proposal in respect of resource teachers. I am not saying we always get it right but on this occasion the Minister listened to the concerns and views of the parents and teachers. Most importantly he addressed the needs of students, and he listened to his backbench Deputies and the people on the ground. I thank him for doing that.

Parents were frightened by reports of cuts, but I do not believe that their children will be denied access to SNAs. These are difficult times and circumstances and the Minister has a difficult job to do. It behoves all politicians to speak in measured terms, to put forward the facts and not to create hysteria. The fight is never about what it is claimed to be about. I intend to work with those parents who were concerned. I am glad that I have worked on their behalf and I will continue to work on their behalf not only on the issue of special needs assistants and resource teachers but on many issues. As the only Government Deputy in my constituency, I can do something about it and that is what I intend to do.

See this speech in context