Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Troy made some good comments. I apologise for being late. I am concerned about all the issues that have been raised. The last thing I did before coming here today was to drop off my child for the last two weeks of his free preschool year. There will be many tears shed at his graduation next week. We are extremely grateful to the teachers involved. They do an absolutely fantastic job for my son. I have two other children who have gone through the process.

The issue of children with special needs has been significant in County Meath lately. The Department of Health, which is apparently in charge of this in Meath, has acted disgracefully. First there was the abolition, and then, a few weeks ago, there was a 25% cut. I do not know whether the cut has been reversed yet. The document we received today on addressing the requirements of special needs children really shows a Government that has been completely mixed up from 2011 until now and is acting utterly disgracefully in regard to children with special needs. It states openly that no Department wanted to take the lead on this issue. I find that absolutely extraordinary after the Government established a Department with responsibility for children. Nobody wanted to take charge of this issue. Come September, there will be a report. Of course, we all know why there will be a report in September. When will we get action on this?

In my second child’s ECCE class, there was a child with Down's syndrome and there was a special needs assistant. We live very close to the border of Louth. I did not know the SNA service, even in the case of partial provision, was totally different in the next county and in some other counties around the country. We really have to take action on this and roll something out across the country as soon as possible that will benefit children with special needs and the rest of the children in their class. This messing has gone on too long, as is clear from the document we have received today. I am appalled and shocked by it.