Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I am speaking from experience so I ask the Senator to allow me continue.

The jury is out on this topic and there are no absolutes. I visited schools and spoke to educational and clinical psychologists and each person I met gave me different answers. There is no area of this subject on which one can give a definite statement. I do not know enough about the matter and the Minister has accepted that she is using a trial and error approach but I congratulate her on setting up the framework as, under her watch, matters are progressing. Previous Governments, with representatives from all sides of the House, failed in this area but now we are attempting to get it right. Give the Minister a chance.

I welcomed the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 because in it the Minister set up a structure involving an education plan, consultation with parents and educational psychologists.