Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I wish to draw the Leader's attention to the fact that the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy John Moloney, announced that the Health Service Executive is rolling out its planned disability developments. The additional €50 million provided for the service plan will be spent on new places for children with autism who are leaving school, on preschool places and on extra therapies. Would be possible to bring the Minister of State before the House next week to outline how we can ensure the spirit of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act is implemented and to confirm that his role is to deal with health and disability issues in schools, as well as in the pre and post-school settings?

Currently, if one needs special needs assistance or help in school, the Department of Education and Science will tell one that many of the therapies are the responsibility of the HSE but if one talks to the HSE, one will often be told that it is the responsibility of the schools. There is a difficulty in determining whether the issues are to be dealt with under health or education. It is about time the two Departments worked together and the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, is well placed and has the resources to progress that.

I believe the Intoxicating Liquor Bill will be before the House next week. If that had not been the case, I had intended to call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the House to end our session in the same way in which it began, with a discussion on the important issue of alcohol abuse and misuse in our society. Such a discussion could include issues such as that raised by Senator Joe O'Toole, namely, voluntary codes of practice, as well as the positive work that is going on in organisations such as the GAA in the promotion of healthy lifestyles. If the Intoxicating Liquor Bill is before the House next week, such issues can be dealt with in the course of the debate on that legislation. However, if the Bill is not due before the House, I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to the House to conclude the session in the same manner in which we began it, that is, prioritising the issue of our cultural abuse and misuse of alcohol.