David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

Some Deputy on the Government benches called them "kids". Kids are young goats; these are children who have special needs, who are in special classes and who require intensive one-to-one help. I have been there, I worked with them and I know what it is like. I do not know whether the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, has any experience of this area but some of these children with ADHD, Tourettes syndrome or dyspraxia, or even dyslexia, or any such condition, are so confused that they can be violent. They can be a danger to themselves and to others, yet the Minister wants them to be put into a large class. It is appalling. These children will be expelled from the school.

The report to which I referred also states that there should be adjoining rooms or a classroom of adequate size that is partitioned to create an area suitable for individual speech and language therapy, and that it is desirable that such a room be free from noise or distraction, the accommodation should allow the teacher and the speech and language therapist to work collaboratively with the pupils or with each group, with a small group or one-to-one as required. The Minister does not need another report. He has one already, produced by the inspectorate in the Department. Let us get real.

I would appeal to the Members opposite not to take out the mess they have made of the economy on the weakest and the youngest of our citizens because they are sentencing them to a life of horror if they do this. This is the one chance they have.

I spoke to other teachers working in this area. It has been suggested that these children are locked away in a special room but that does not happen. As other Deputies have stated, they integrate properly with others in art and P.E. and elsewhere, and they are withdrawn for special classes where they need the help. The Government is abolishing that. Has the Government any idea what it is doing? Has it visited these schools, has it seen these children? The Government does not have a clue what it is about. I would appeal to Deputies not to do this.

See this speech in context