Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and all my colleagues for their support today. I will not accept any more kicks to touch or delays on this issue. We need to get on with it and provide resource hours for these children with Down's syndrome. The parents involved in Down Syndrome Ireland feel exactly the same. They will not accept any more delays. We want to get on with the job. We have made our case and we have cross-party support.

I thank my colleagues in the Technical Group, namely, Deputies Thomas Pringle, Catherine Murphy, Joan Collins, Mick Wallace, Clare Daly, Shane Ross and Maureen O'Sullivan, for their massive support and I really appreciate it. Sometimes Independent Deputies get a hard time from the Government, but I recognise and compliment those on the Government benches, including Deputies Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Paudie Coffey, Regina Doherty who has done much work on this, Derek Keating, Jerry Buttimer, Ray Butler and Joe McHugh. I also thank Deputies Tommy Broughan and Patrick Nulty, and the Acting Chairman, Deputy Peter Mathews, who could not contribute to the debate. I particularly thank Deputies Colm Keaveney and Michael Moynihan of Fianna Fáil for their support because it is very important to have support from the Government and the Opposition, and I thank Deputies Michael Colreavy and Pearse Doherty of Sinn Féin for their support. Down Syndrome Ireland also appreciates the support of the Deputies.

Down's syndrome is a complex disorder and is much more than an IQ issue. It also includes speech and language difficulties, fine and gross motor skills difficulties and behaviour issues to name but a few. Government policy puts people at a disadvantage by not recognising this and merely referring to their IQ.

My friend and colleague, Deputy Shane Ross, touched on the issue of costs, which can range from between €600,000 to €1.2 million depending on the number of children in primary schools. The Government should get on with the job. We are sick and tired of it. We are taxpayers also. The 2,000 members of Down Syndrome Ireland contribute revenue and taxes to the Exchequer but we must fight for these resources.

Deputy Clare Daly touched on that important aspect also.

As well as providing resource hours, we are asking the Government to respect our rights and those of our children. If it believes in an inclusive republic, it will respect the rights of all citizens. We pay our taxes every year just like everybody else. We are entitled to a service, but we should not have to fight on every issue. Some 20 years ago, as new parents - I acknowledge Mr. Frank O'Sullivan who is in the Visitors Gallery - we fought to get our children into school. We had to bang on doors to achieve this because we were hearing comments such as, "We do not know whether we can teach those children in those situations." We now have resource hours and special needs assistants, with which we are delighted, but we are now moving into another zone. We want equality and respect for rights and for that to be done and dusted today. This is an opportunity for the Government to do so. I know, from the good will shown by Members, that it means to do this, but it is up to the Minister and the Government to deliver.

The Minister of State spoke about the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection. I know he is representing the Minister, but I ask him not to allow this issue to be kicked to a committee with which it will remain until 2015 or 2016. We will not accept this and will be out shouting and roaring on the streets again if we cannot get it.

It should be realised also that even the hard-nosed cynics have spoken about the economic costs involved. If we educate a young child and do our best at an early age, it will cost the State less. My daughter is in an adult service. I drop her to the bus stop on the Swords Road every day at 7.50 a.m. and she uses her bus pass. She is a very independent young woman and attended mainstream primary school in which she received great support from many good teachers. We did not receive resource hours or the assitance of special needs assistants 20 years ago. However, we still had a group available. I thank, in particular, the staff of St. Brigid's girls school in Killester who took on children with disabilities without resources.

I thank all Members for their massive support and ask the Government to get on with the job of providing resources. It would only amount to four hours and 15 minutes every week for every child with Down's syndrome in primary school.

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