Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I have a question for Mr. O'Connor from Inclusion Ireland. His submission and earlier comments eloquently outlined the importance of inclusive education. I am slightly moving into a wider issue, but I believe it is relevant. Many parents I have spoken to have concerns about the much-discussed New Brunswick model and they would be keen for children to have tailored supports in an environment with other children in special schools and so on. There is that desire for choice so that some people can keep their children in a special school as opposed to a unit. There are different opinions on that. How do we strike that balance? How do we ensure we achieve the greatest level of inclusion possible in the education system? What role can that play in tackling stigma and in tackling bullying based on that stigma? How can we ensure the parents have the option of sending their children to a special school?

Ms Brady, in response earlier to other questions, substantially answered the question I had. I would welcome any other comments she might have on it.

I have a question for the Children's Rights Alliance and Barnardos. While I do not know if we have any statistics, do they have any sense of whether race-based bullying is on the increase or decrease? What are we learning on that matter as time goes on?