David Norris (Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for his helpful reply and, in particular, for the remarks he made before reading the prepared script. I would be grateful if he would refer the record of this debate to the Minister for Education and Science with the reminder that, under the 1992 legislation, he is empowered to vary the budget and that he can direct the VEC. We have a large and increasing number of children caught in this pincer and they will be deprived of education otherwise. No amount of nice, warm Civil Service language will get away from the heartbreak of these children who will be deprived of the very qualities the Minister of State so sensitively evoked at the beginning of his contribution.