Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I can make a contribution on any aspect of education and if the Senator wants to contradict me, we can have it out. I want to highlight the Education Welfare Board established in 1999 which put in place welfare officers to deal with regular attendance. We have also created the statutory advisory disadvantage committee to deal with integrated education, which I am pleased to say is what we want, starting at primary level with Breaking the Cycle, home schooling, remedial teachers, resource teachers and career guidance people. All of these people will be working together in harmony to make sure that any black spots in our primary education system will be identified and our psychological services will be able to assess children before they move into second level education. I am very pleased that it is beginning to work. It may not have fully integrated into the system yet, but the concept is there and it will work because we are putting in the resources and money. It is great news and if we do not do it that way, we will not tackle disadvantage. Disadvantage has to be tackled at six years of age so that by the time children are in second level schooling they are well established and able to take part in any class or school subject.