Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The position is that special needs assistants are provided for children with severe medical or physical needs. I am aware it is the aspiration of most parents that their child should not be dependant on an assistant but should have the skills to be independent in the classroom and to be able to deal with other children. The Down's Syndrome Association said it recognises that every child with Down's syndrome does not need a special needs assistant.

See this speech in context