Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)

When I first entered the Dáil I said "welcome to the coalition of cuts" and this has been vindicated given what we have just heard. I listened to Government backbenchers speak on this motion and laud the fact that the amount of SNAs has been increased to 350 and capped at 10,572. This is a nonsense argument and they know it. The number of hours allocated to each school to support children with special needs has been cut by 10%. The Department of Education and Skills has made provision for only 9,950 learning support resource posts this year. This will not meet the demand.

The capping of the number of SNAs at 10,572 means children with a wide range of special needs will at best have to share the services of an SNA whereas previously they would have had exclusive access. At worst, children will lose their SNA. The reality is not what the Government is saying. The school on Mourne Road, which is a DEIS band 2 school, has lost 1.33 SNAs as the number has reduced from 6.33 to five to cover seven classes. Is this not a cut? The number of SNAs at Drimnagh Castle boys school has been cut from 9.5 to six. Is this not a cut? The number of SNAs at Scoil Bhríde in Dublin 6 has been cut from two to one to cover an autistic child and a child with very special needs. Is this not a cut? The number of SNAs at St. Gabriel's in Ballyfermot has been reduced from six to five to cover seven children with two more children with special needs due to attend the school. Is this not a cut? The school has also lost a resource teacher for Travellers and between ten and 12 Traveller children attend the school. Is this not a cut? The visiting teacher service for Travellers is to be abolished in September. Is this not a cut? To say these are not cuts is a lie. The Ombudsman for Children has strongly criticised the targeting of Traveller education. Waiting lists for psychological assessment and speech and language therapy are a national disgrace, as Government Deputies themselves stated only five months ago while on the Opposition benches. Principals and parents have pointed out that children are facing cuts and their needs will not be met. It was terrible to meet people at the protest outside the House today who believed the Government would protect them. The Government asks us not to make this an emotive issue. When parents must face the prospect of their children not receiving the resources they need the issue becomes emotive.

Deputies on this side have been accused of not offering choices. The cost of reversing the proposed cut, after taking into account the reduction in social welfare costs and increase in taxation revenue generated by special needs assistants, SNAs, would be €20 million. Where can this sum be sourced? There is a choice to be made because choices are always available. I am not proposing a revolutionary cut in the IMF-EU bailout fund. Every year, €100 million is paid to elitist, fee-paying schools. Why is this money not invested in educational resources for those who need them? This is a clear choice facing the Government. Where does the Labour Party stand on it? The Minister should match needs with resources and stop hiding behind the IMF and Fianna Fáil.

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