Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I asked the Taoiseach on four occasions to send me a report about why this unit cannot be opened. I listened to him state last night on television that there is sufficient money in the budget to deal with the provision of specialist teachers, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, behavioural therapists etc. and that the HSE will not implement this regime in a crude fashion. At the same time the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform was meeting with Mrs. Murphy to tell her that the Educate Together school in Castleknock is No. 13 on a list of 17. I am not sure how those priorities were figured out.

Government is about getting results and about dictating decisions that bring results. Before the entire Government, all 20 or however many Ministers, dispense themselves all over the world from New Zealand to San Francisco, can we get this business sorted out today or tomorrow by calling in the Minister for Education and Science and the Minister for Health and Children? The Taoiseach should give them a direction to get this business sorted out and let that child and all the other children who need to go to specialist units have the best possibility that this State can supply for them. I invite the Taoiseach to respond to me.

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