Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

At the launch of the NCSE report I met one of the representatives for people with Down's syndrome. They have lobbied the Oireachtas very professionally and comprehensively and I gave an undertaking to meet them. I am also awaiting advice from the NCSE on how Down's syndrome is to be treated within this broader context. On the second question, I gave an undertaking that I would ring-fence existing resources, that they would not be subject to reduction as other aspects of education are because we have had to correct the legacy that, sadly, the Deputy's party left us with. That is not the same as saying I will increase the allocation of resources.

We are going to have to find ways of making that money stretch a little further, and we will do so. The requirement to meet the cohort of population increase will be met. That is where I stand on this matter.

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