James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very concerned that this issue will be examined. The best context in which to look at it is the interdepartmental group. It is appropriate that the roles of the HSE and the Child and Family Agency in supporting families are considered when examining funding for special needs assistants for older school-going children. We are trying to support parents to come out of poverty. We want to lift their children out of poverty. We know the best way to do this is to support the family. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Finance, the Department of Health and my Department are involved in this interdepartmental group as is, most importantly, the Department of Social Protection. This group has all the required membership to develop a coherent, properly analysed and properly priced Government approach. The Government, therefore, will be able to look realistically at the options and determine what it can afford to do during the current year and what it can afford to do the following year. We know if we do these things that we will get the results we seek.

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