Liam Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail)

I acknowledge that the notion was there at an embryonic stage at that time. Unfortunately, due to a lack of resources it did not come to fruition. That was not in any respect because of lack of goodwill, commitment or determination on Senator O'Rourke's part.

Moving forward to 1997, the Government of the day decided to bring the questions of educational disadvantage and a special educational needs service to the centre of the educational service. This was an acknowledgment of the vital importance of addressing these issues and was in the interests of children. It began with a decision to give all primary school children an automatic right and entitlement to a response to their needs. In recent months the Minister has acknowledged that this is not always possible, even today. I respect that acknowledgment and the fact that she is there to pick up this challenge which is at the heart of this debate.

The decision to give this automatic entitlement to a response to all children was followed by a programme of funding and legislation. These have radically and significantly enhanced the level and quality of the service to children with special needs and the area of educational disadvantage. It is appropriate to compliment our primary and second level teachers who, despite the acute lack of resources over the years, fought tooth and nail for the rights of these children. Today these teachers still enthusiastically embrace the new challenges facing them in the context of the three Bills brought forward in this area. Credit is due to teachers at primary and post-primary levels for their great sense of professionalism, duty, concern and care for the most vulnerable children in society. They have acted in the most professional manner at all times in responding to their needs, with a few rare exceptions.

I refer to the achievements in the allocation of resources since 1997. The number of resource teachers in ordinary schools has increased from 104 to 2,600 while learning support services have been extended to every primary and post-primary school creating 1,500 teaching posts and the number of special needs assistant has increased from 300 to 5,500. Overall, 4,000 additional teachers have been recruited at primary level and more than 2,000 at post-primary level. The additional teachers have been deployed to reduce class sizes, target disadvantage and give additional support to children with special educational needs. More than 1,000 teachers are employed in special schools with in excess of 600 teachers taking special classes in ordinary schools. More than €30 million is expended on transport for children with special education needs. Many other initiatives are in place, on which the Minister is building, based on the value and merit of each initiative, which I respect very much.

Since 1997 three important Bills have been enacted, namely, the Equal Status Act 2000, the Education Act 1998 and, more recently, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. These have progressively established the rights of all children with such needs in law. The latter Act provides the framework and structures to secure the necessary rights and resources. It provides a guarantee in law because it formally establishes the National Council for Special Education and it places a legal onus on the Departments of Education and Science, Health and Children and Finance to ensure adequate resources are allocated and the support provided for special educational needs children is comparable to that for children without such needs. This aspect of the Act is important because it boosts the power of parents and representative groups to seek a judicial review where they deem comparability is not achieved.

I refer to a number of important initiatives taken by the Minister since she took up office, which seek to build on the progress to date and to evaluate and review structures, resources or decisions with the intention of progressing the roll-out of services to the disadvantaged and those with special educational needs. I commend the Minister on the action plan for the disadvantaged and I look forward to her detailing its content. It has major benefits, which we will discuss in greater detail at a later date.

I refer to her decision to appoint administrative principals to small schools in disadvantaged areas. This has been an ongoing issue, particularly in the context of the extra resources that have been rolled out in recent years. Teaching principals could not cope with the administrative duties being thrust upon them but disadvantaged schools have been targeted for the appointment of administrative principals. This will increase the time available to teaching principals for planning, targeting resources and increased monitoring of the outcomes of the utilisation of resources. That is wise, commendable and laudable.

I have a great interest in the school completion programme in my area and the results are positive. Whatever plans the Minister has for this programme, education welfare boards and the home-school community liaison scheme, I compliment her for extending the programme for another year and I hope it will retain a significant role. It is working well and it will have a greater role to play in the overall scheme. I trust her wisdom in this regard. The elimination of unqualified teachers on a long-term basis is also commendable.

I wish the Minister well and I commend her on her work and, in particular, on the partnership approach she has adopted to education. The wonderful reception she received at the recent teacher conferences demonstrated that.