Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. I totally understand why those families are asking us because they hear there are four weeks of July provision and they are lucky if they get a week and they hear they might get two weeks. Then they might hear of a fantastic provider where people get the four weeks and are wondering why they cannot have the same. I also need to recognise, as it would be wrong of me not to, that teachers and SNAs are tired. That is why we need to add into the mix. That is why we need to include more to be part of. That is why cannot leave the burden with a particular group. There is more in disabilities than just the teacher and the SNA. We need to complement each other and talk to that piece about how we can all work together and put it into a summer programme. We know it can be done; I genuinely believe it can be done. I have a willingness to see it done. I want to work with our partners in higher education and primary and post-primary, as well as parents, and actually give therapists the opportunity of the experience of working with children with disabilities. As they are not getting it at the moment, how can I recruit them if they have never had the experience? I genuinely believe there is a better, more enhanced model than what we are doing. We should let the therapists as part of the solution.