John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

He is close enough to doing so. I do not want to make little of the response. However, I want to be as direct as possible. I made the point that those involved with education for persons with special needs and the cross-sectoral team will meet shortly.

The former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, established the new office with responsibility for disabilities and mental health, which has only been up and running since January last. Prior to that issues had always arisen in respect of the HSE and the Departments of Health and Children and Education and Science. The establishment of the new office represents an attempt to deal with these issues in one place. All of the issues to which the Deputy refers come within the remit of the office. As reports are received in the coming months, it will be our responsibility to decide how to proceed, particularly in the context of learning and special educational needs.

From the figures, one might obtain the impression that we are downgrading services. I do not wish to use the time available to rattle off details of what has been achieved. However, it is worth placing on record the fact that the number of physiotherapists has risen by 230, or 20%, that the number of occupational therapists has risen by 320, or 45%, and that the number of speech and language therapists has risen by 140, or 28%.

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