Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Is the Taoiseach aware that the latest report published by the Combat Poverty Agency and launched by his colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, confirms that 17% of children in this State live in income poverty for five years or more of their young lives? Does the Taoiseach agree that this is unacceptable in one of the wealthiest economies in the world?

Does the Taoiseach further agree that increasing child benefit and other income supports alone is not the whole answer and what we need is a wide-ranging strategy? Does he accept that within the strategy, there must be a commitment and clear plan to combat educational disadvantage? It is my understanding that the Government has a target to reduce class sizes to 20 pupils or fewer for all children under the age of nine years by 2007. Will the Taoiseach ensure the recruitment of the necessary additional teaching staff? Will it be done now? Will he ensure the provision of all the required assessments and the additional teachers required for children with special needs?

Will the Government introduce a primary school database linked to the secondary school database to track attendance levels and flag and help combat early school leaving? Within that strategy, will the Taoiseach also ensure we will have an extension of the school meals programme to all children in disadvantaged areas, which is not currently the case?

In what is supposed to be one of the best educated countries in the world, I expect the Taoiseach will acknowledge that we have a chronic shortage of speech and language therapists. This robs many children of their real opportunities and potential in life. Will the Government increase the number of training places to ensure we have adequate speech and language therapists in place as quickly as possible to correct the severe shortage and difficulties arising therefrom for young people facing into the future?

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