Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I thank Deputy Ruairí Quinn for sharing time.

On behalf of the Sinn Féin Deputies, I fully support this motion on the dire situation in our country for children with autism and their parents. I totally reject the amendment in the name of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin. I regret to state that the Minister's approach, be it personally or that of her Department, on this matter has demonstrated a degree of intransigence and authoritarianism, and that should have no place in public administration. Even by the admission of the Minister in her amendment, education for children with autism and other special needs is an area of historic underprovision. More importantly, it is an area of great pain, fear and distress for the children and parents affected. In that context, the approach of the Minister and her Department, supported by her Government colleagues, is totally inappropriate and inflexible and is causing more distress to already distressed children and parents.

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