John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this Private Members' motion. I welcome the Government's commitment to our education system over the past ten years. I refer to the major improvements since 1998 in a range of supports available to these children. Investment in support for special needs has more than doubled in the past five years, to over €1 billion this year. More than 8,000 resource and learning support teachers and 10,000 special needs assistants are now in place. Other improvements, technology and services have been provided.

The Minister reiterated the Government's continued commitment to the improvement of education for our children. The Government is committed to ensuring as many children as possible can receive an appropriate education in local schools, interacting with their friends. The majority of studies, commentators, parents and teachers support integration and mainstreaming, and this should be recognised.

Proceeding with this motion is very disingenuous of the Opposition as this is approximately the tenth occasion since the budget that the opportunity has been taken to attempt to vote down Government decisions which have been taken in exceptionally difficult times and in very difficult global financial circumstances. Some day the people on the other side of the Chamber might get what they wish for. Every party aspires to be in Government and many Members across the floor aspire to be Ministers. This may happen some day and they will have to be honest with the public, stand up, tell the truth and work within the resources given to them.

That day may come for Opposition spokespersons and I wish them well if and when it does. It is very disingenuous of them to be consistently negative and opposed to these decisions. We have seen a range of decisions being contested and the Government has been accused of blowing the boom. We know who has done this. I have listed the significant investment we have seen in the education of our children, particularly in the special needs area. If that is blowing the boom, I can buy into that. It is only one example of where the Opposition has argued that we have blown the boom.

Regarding the suppression of some of these classes, I understand the criteria which applied came into place in 1999. The Minister and his Department have applied that criteria in recent times because of the agreement which existed with the partners in education that the ratio would be 11:1 but 9:1 would be accepted. I understand that where such figures stand up, those classes will remain. Where they do not stack up, any additional support required will be provided and made available to children who need it, which is very important.

There is a special needs class in my own constituency in Newcastle West where tremendous work has been done by the teachers and school in question. The class remains in place but there were three classes, consisting of two classes of six children and one with seven children. The class is being maintained but the school is also mainstreaming like many other schools.

I am glad to have had the opportunity to speak on the topic. It is time for the Opposition to be honest and not criticise every decision taken by the Government.

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