Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing my time with Deputy Kieran O'Donnell. Bhí áthas orm a chloisteáil go ndúirt an tAire sa rún inniu go gcuirfear cibé PPE a theastaíonn ar fáil. Tabharfaidh sé sin faoiseamh intinne do go leor daoine. Chomh maith leis sin, tá páirt ag chuile duine sa tír cuidiú le gasúir agus a muintir dul ar ais ar scoil agus aire a thabhairt nach muid a scaipeann an galar seo agus líon na n-uimhreacha a laghdú.

I really believe in debates in the Dáil and thrashing matters out. This is a case, however, where we would actually be better employed if everybody, as they say in the European jargon, was in the tunnel and keeping away from the media. It would be better if all the players - the teachers, parents and the Department - kept the one thing in mind, namely, that there are hugely deserving and vulnerable children who need school. Our total focus has to be on the one issue. How do we safely and by agreement get education for those in special schools and in special classes in particular?

I have been on to the Minister several times on behalf of children in Galway with a significant focus on those who are most vulnerable, most dependent and who require to be in school because distance learning is totally irrelevant to them. My plea would be for all the parties to go into the tunnel and see how this can be worked out in the interest of those probably least well able to speak for themselves, namely, the children. If we could achieve that, we would have done a great day's work for these vulnerable children.

This is not a time to apportion blame. We are, as they say in the jargon, where we are. The measure of us will be how we go forward from here and how we all co-operate to get from here to where we all profess we want to go. We should leave the arguments to another day of what happened or how we got to where we are. I trust in the bona fides of everybody. I hope everyone will go into the tunnel and we will resolve this urgent issue for very special people.

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