Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank David and Máirín McGrath in our Whip, Deputy Mattie McGrath's office for the work they have done in preparing the Private Members' motion which we are bringing before the House. I thank SNAs throughout the country. They play a vital and important role. I see it at first hand when dealing with school management and parents' committees that are tasked with trying to run our schools, along with the principals and teachers. The role of SNAs is actually vital. Not one of us can really put our finger on the reason educational needs have changed so much over the last 20 years. Perhaps it is down to the diagnosing of the problems that students have. We are able to put names on the different learning difficulties of students. That is why we are able to recognise that special needs assistants are required in the schools. They play a vital role.

Job security is of major importance. There are young people who go away and get education and then become special needs assistants, but they do not have job security. They are left in limbo. They have mortgages too. They have loans for motorcars to get to work. They are trying to live their lives and rear their own children and they do not have job security. That is something about which I feel very strongly. The Minister spoke here earlier, as he did a couple of weeks ago. I refer to commitments given by this Government and others which were not kept. That is why I believe that we need promises to be made but also to be kept. We need finance to be given and assured. We need schools to be able to give full-time employment to their special needs assistants. We know that the work is there for them and that it will be there for them. Therefore it is only right and proper that they be given full-time jobs and the security and everything else that goes with that.

Our own life experiences are very important in allowing us to learn of the needs some younger people have. I faced into my teens without the ability to read or write. At that time there was no such thing as special needs assistants in schools. It was very difficult for people who suffer from dyslexia. At that time it was not identified in the way it is now, which caused trouble and posed difficulties in learning. I appreciate the great work that is done every day by SNAs because of my own experiences in the past.

That brings me onto the point I purposefully wanted to leave until last because I did not want to waste the time I had. I wanted to try to cover the issues that were important and to highlight the problems that we have and the whole thrust of the motion we brought forward in our group. However, I have to clarify one thing. There is one thing I take very seriously. I never in my life get up any day to insult, offend or put out anybody. I would never do such a thing. For any person inside this House to take what other people - and I am talking specifically about our Whip, Deputy Mattie McGrath, and about Deputy Michael Collins and myself - have done and issues we were raising at a particular time and to go out of this Chamber tweeting and issuing press releases is hurtful.

I was very glad that my own radio station in County Kerry, Radio Kerry, allowed me the opportunity to go on and to clear my name and clarify the work I have been doing for many years. I am not a Johnny-come-lately to politics who dropped out of the sky the other day. I have been around the schools for many years. I treasure and adore the work they do, the work people do in dealing with people with special needs, and the students themselves. I adore them. I can only talk for myself but I know I have permission to talk on behalf of my colleagues, but for a particular Deputy to take it upon herself to bullyrag us around this country and to tell lies is the most hurtful thing that any person-----

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