Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I will make this final point. The Minister is aware of a report which she has had on her desk for the past year and a half, namely, the implementation report from the National Council for Special Education. I asked the Minister a straight question in the House today and received a reply. A total of 42 actions are to be implemented in this area by her Department and related agencies for children with special needs. By this date, November 2007, the Minister was supposed to have in place 27 actions. When I received the reply today, how many actions did the Minister stand over in terms of having them in place? A big fat zero. That is the Minister's record. Let us leave the big speeches, PR occasions and all the cameras and happy-clappiness to one side and deal with the issues that confront our children and educationalists on a daily basis in their classes.

Amendment put.

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