Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The problem, as I have said repeatedly in the House, is that there is a huge disconnect between what we hear officially and what is happening on the ground and what parents and schools are being told. I cannot articulate that strongly enough. In one case a school with children with severe and profound autism had two teachers summarily removed. The response it received from the Department was that the Department had nothing to do with national council. The Taoiseach said the Minister is due to meet the council. However, everybody outside the House is being told that the Minister cannot intervene with the National Council for Special Education. Can we get away from this parallel universe in Dáil Éireann, which appears to be oblivious of the needs of people and what is happening in terms of the withdrawal of special needs assistants?

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