Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)

This motion provides the Government with an important opportunity to outline its commitment to special educational needs. Having worked in the primary education sector, I do not need to be told the value of special needs assistants or the difficulties faced by the sector. There needs to be balance and truth to this debate. While doing some constituency work in my office this evening, I was agog listening to the contributions from Members opposite, particularly from the Member from south Tipperary who claimed Government backbenchers were few and far between in the Chamber today. Yet, when the first Government backbencher rose to speak on this motion, the Technical Group evacuated the Chamber. Obviously, those Members opposite are only prepared to listen to one argument.

The previous two speakers introduced the fact that the largest number ever of special needs assistants have been guaranteed their positions for next year and the cap on public service numbers introduced by the former Government does not apply to them. It is regrettable that amnesia seems to be widespread among Members opposite. So serious are the cases of several Members in the Technical Group, particularly Deputies Finian McGrath and Mick Wallace, that they should consult their GPs. Deputy Mick Wallace, himself a builder once, spoke about the economy being in tatters because of the banks and the builders.

One can only take so much of this. The fact remains, our country is bankrupt and its economy destroyed. We are now subservient to a group of foreigners who are keeping this country open.

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