Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)

It was amazing to see hundreds of people on the streets today. They were parents, children, special needs assistants, teachers and principals. This was a day on which to be proud of the Irish people who are faced with what we all agree are horrendous cuts. I spoke with a lady named Carol and her daughter, Katie, who is deaf. With the use of technology and the assistance of her special needs assistant, Katie is fully integrated in mainstream education and will, I hope, have a fantastic education. I spoke to another mother from Bray, who asked for her name not to be used, and her son, Cian, who is autistic and suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The only way Cian can go to school is with the special needs assistant he has been allocated for two hours each day. Although his mother had to give up her job to mind him for the rest of the day, Cian is thankfully able to attend school as a result of the introduction of special need assistants and the policy of mainstreaming. His mother is waiting to be informed of whether Cian will have support in September.

Today's protest made clear that cuts to special needs assistants affect the most vulnerable in society, namely, the parents of children with special needs and their children. While some Deputies may disagree on certain issues, all of us agree that this is an extremely serious issue.

I propose to address the Government amendment, on which the House will divide in a few moments. While the amendment focuses exclusively on positives, of which there have been many in recent years in the area of special educational needs, it does not get to the heart of the reason the Technical Group tabled the motion and certainly the reason I chose to become involved in it. This is the decision to cut 272 special needs assistant posts. I have spoken to some of the SNA teachers who will lose their posts. The amendment does not acknowledge the fear felt by many people. Today's fantastic protest featured face-painting, balloons and good speeches but there was also fear. I am disappointed the Government amendment and the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, did not address this fear and wish the Government would do so.

The Government is hiding behind the International Monetary Fund. Its amendment states that Dáil Éireann "notes that the cap on Special Needs Assistants was introduced by the previous Government when Ireland entered the Programme of Financial Support with the EU and IMF". The Government has made great play of its decision to change various measures. It has reversed the minimum wage reduction, which is good. It has room to manoeuvre in this instance. Therefore, I ask it to stop hiding behind the IMF on this issue.

There are many teachers, former teachers and principal teachers in the House and I bow to their superior knowledge of the intricacies of the special needs assistants scheme and the various changes that could be made to make it even better. My background is in financial analysis and public sector reform and my observations are as follows. With regard to the allocation of money, 272 SNA posts cost approximately €10 million a year. When one factors in the social welfare costs associated with the 272 people being made redundant, we are probably talking about a saving of €5 million a year. Next September the Government will write a cheque for €706 million to unguaranteed, anonymous Anglo Irish Bank bondholders. That cheque would pay for the 272 posts for the next 140 years. In terms of priority, I urge the Government and plead with it to look at the very small costs involved, the real fear among families and the real benefit that extra €5 million could bring and change its position.

This should be a good news story. Fantastic changes will be made in the next few years. Changes have been suggested in the Chamber today that need to be made. However, this is turning very quickly into a bad news story. What could be fantastic is turning into a cut on the most vulnerable in our society that does not need to be made. I say three things to Government Deputies before they vote on the amendment: first, they should stop hiding behind the IMF on this issue; second, they should acknowledge the pain and fear being caused by the proposed cut of 272 posts; and, third, they should, please, reallocate the funding, as it is a tiny amount of money.

Today's protest was something of which to be proud. We should be proud of SNAs, the system and its potential. Therefore, I urge the Government to reconsider its position and reinstate the SNA posts. It is within its power to do this. A small amount of money could make a huge difference. Let the parents, principals and teachers know now in order that they do not spend the next few months wondering if children will be able to attend school in September.

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