Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If the witness does not mind I will move on because I am limited with time. I have one last question and one point to get across. One of Mr. Egan's conclusions speaks to the need for schools, teachers and special needs assistants, SNAs, to be supported to take part in the scheme as an important component in opening the scheme to a degree by which we can include all children with intellectual disabilities.

On Tuesday the committee heard about SNAs. Ms Marie Daly, CEO of Crann Support Group referred to the childcare sector losing many childcare workers to the SNA sector, that they have all summer off, finish work at 4 p.m. and that they do not have the burden of responsibility or the paperwork to carry out that childcare professionals have. I strongly disagree with this insinuation and I did not have an opportunity to come back in during that discussion on Tuesday. Any of the SNAs I have encountered are very hardworking people who have a strong vocation for the important role they play within our education system.

In Ms Dempsey estimation, how many more SNAs would be required to deliver this scheme for July provision? I believe the Minister, Deputy McHugh, said that 230 SNAs are working with families as part of their temporary assignments.