Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

I agree with that. If we take it from the last point first, one of the pillars on the SNA workforce is diversity. We are very conscious of that issue in making sure there is diversity in the workforce. Going back to the initial comments the Senator made regarding his own school and the towns, we are looking very closely at that and where there is additional capacity being provided by the planning and building unit in the Department, very much so at post-primary level because we understand there is a challenge. The children are in primary school at the moment. They will transition to post-primary school. We are acutely aware of the challenges right across the towns, villages and communities of the country and we are working towards that end. We are, in some instances, exporting children with additional needs out of their own communities. We have to be mindful as well of what is being spent by the Department on transport and try to better the situation. In Galway alone, there are 13 special classes at primary and four at post-primary this year; 182 in total. I take the point that we have a number of towns – I could name a dozen or so of them off the top of my head – that have issues. It is important we work from the Department and where there is additional capacity added to post-primary schools that we have special education as well.

A vote has been called in the Dáil. Is this the voting block?