Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I commend my colleague, Deputy Brian Hayes, on the work he has done on the motion before us. The parents of this country will thank him for his efforts on retaining the 128 classes this mean Government wants to take away from the people who need them the most.

For the past 12 years, Ireland was awash with money but people with special needs were left behind. Just when they thought things might improve, they were the first to be targeted when the economy took a downturn. Shame on Fianna Fáil and the Government. Fianna Fáil would have us believe it is the republican party and that it looks after families, but I am disappointed to say that it is not looking after families or the weak in this society. On the doorsteps over the past several weeks, people have been telling me that the vulnerable are the first to be targeted when the economy goes bad.

Deputy Brian Hayes has been putting pressure on the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, who recently ran around my county to throw sods in the air for gaelscoileanna which had not yet received contracts or funding. He should at least have waited until the contracts had been signed before throwing sods in the air. I am glad to say that one of my Labour colleagues in Westport caught a sod and posted it back to the Minister. Well done to him. The Minister can bring the sod with him when he delivers the contractor and the money to that school.

What is happening in regard to special needs education is very wrong. What the Government is doing to the children who need it most is very wrong. Fianna Fáil backbenchers are the most brazen crowd of people I have ever seen in my life as they praise the Government parties and say how well they are doing on this issue, yet families in every corner of the country will be affected by this decision in the next few months. Shame on the Minister and the members of the Fianna Fáil-led Government. How can they attack the most vulnerable and weak in our society? The classes should be left alone and further funding should be put in place for them. Parents are feeling the pressure and I ask the Minister of State and his colleagues to tell the Minister for Education and Science they will not take any more and that they want to protect the people who need to be protected. They do not have a strong voice. Parents cannot take to the streets because they must look after their children at home. They are under pressure and it is not fair.

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