Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I do not have the detailed figures Deputy Pearse Doherty requested. I will see if they are available and ensure he gains access to them. One of the priorities set in the programme for Government is to examine the interaction between the social welfare and taxation codes and make recommendations to ensure work is worthwhile. In particular, the commission will examine family and child income supports and means by which the self-employed can be insured against unemployment and sickness. I am sure many Deputies will have come across cases where this is a major issue and it is one that needs to be addressed. The Government intends to examine it through the commission on taxation and social welfare which will be set up.

Deputy Mick Wallace asked about resource teachers and SNAs, another critical issue. While there has been a significant increase in the numbers of resource teachers and SNAs, it is very much linked with the question of supports for families where children need assessment for various therapies. We need to examine a child's needs in terms of what is available in schools and also in terms of what therapies are available in the health service. Many parents in desperation ask for resource teachers or SNAs when some of the therapies that should be available to them are not available. There is an interaction between these two issues.

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