Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

That is very decent. I welcome the Minister of State. Wakey, wakey — tá sé tuirseach inniú. I thank the Labour Party for bringing this welcome motion before the House. The figure of 76,000 children living in poverty is a scary statistic. We must examine how we can help those living in poverty and I want to focus on education in this regard. Despite the fact that education is the proven route out of poverty, we still see swingeing cuts in that sector which largely hit children from poor backgrounds living in socio-economically disadvantaged environments.

Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy warned that appalling budget cuts, like those imposed on school book grants for the poorest children, were an indication the Government's thinking on education is badly skewed. She warned such cuts would sadly result in a less literate and less capable emerging workforce and a reduced commitment to equality of opportunity. If we continue in this vein, continue to cut out children with mild learning difficulties, so many of whom are in disadvantaged settings — as with today's announcement of the loss of 128 posts — the Government will become known as one of social exclusion that has further advanced the cycle of poverty.

The same applies with regard to cutting out home-school liaison teachers in non-DEIS schools. Many pupils in these schools are poor but their school does not qualify for disadvantaged status. Our most vulnerable children, including those from poor, Traveller and immigrant families need access to books. They need special support and small classes, whether they live in officially designated disadvantaged areas.

I compliment the Labour Party on bringing this motion to the House. I would like the Government's policies and practices to be poverty proofed. As Senator O'Toole said in the House, we will pay the price for these bad moves. It is not fair to make the disadvantaged pay the price for the economic downturn, to which they in no way contributed.