Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The wording would not have damaged carers. I am not going to rekindle the debate but I contest very strongly the Deputy's assertion. The Government continues to spend on special needs, carers and disability more generally. Thousands of special education teachers and special needs assistants have been appointed since this Government took office and continue to be appointed. Approximately 25% of the education budget is now allocated to special needs education. This is the highest ever, even in percentage terms, of the overall education budget. Some 1,300 new special classes and seven new special schools have been put in place. Regarding health and so on, a range of measures have been taken. Ultimately, resources get allocated through the Oireachtas and budgets every year. If it is allowed to be the exclusive remit of the courts, there is a danger that we would not get a targeted, focused or strategic approach to dealing with the issues of society. This is why people elect parliamentarians. They elect them to pass annual budgets and to prioritise the allocation of resources. That is the key issue in terms of how much is put into a constitution and how much is reserved for the democratically elected representatives of the people.

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