Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

With regard to rationing services or denying children services at an early stage, they do not go away and their problems multiply. If they are not dealt with in the preschool environment, we end up dealing with them in the school environment, which means the child does not have the same opportunities and the expense transfers to the primary school system where we have special needs assistants and various other supports for children who should have had these supports before they ever went to school in the first place. Surely there is a false economy in not providing the service at the first and earliest opportunity.