Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

It is worth supporting Senator Norris's proposal for a rolling debate on the economy because that is where the game is at. We should spend at least between 45 minutes and an hour daily discussing the economy. The Deputy Leader should consider that.

I was delighted to see AIB and Eugene Sheehy facing up to reality and putting some serious plans in place to face worst-case scenarios. I am intrigued, however, that he is willing to write off billions of euro in bad debts. Whose debts is he writing off? How many are the debts of home owners? Are these the debts of developers or commercial loans? What is happening to the land banks? We need answers to these questions because land will never go out of fashion. It will always have a value, even if that value is lower. It is important for us to hear that. I would like to ask a second question about AIB. There are conflicting reports in the public domain about AIB. It has been suggested that it is due to be nationalised, but Mr. Eugene Sheehy has said that it does not need to be nationalised. Will the Deputy Leader clarify the current position in that regard? Can he make more information available on this issue?

As Fine Gael's spokesperson on education in this House, I want to say clearly that I am sick and tired of the use by the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, of the policy of inclusion to justify the placement of children with special needs in mainstream classes, many of which are not ready to offer an appropriate education to them. Some of these children need to be toileted. Some of them cannot talk. Many mainstream classes are not ready for them because the Minister has not implemented the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, which was supposed to make sure that the special educational needs of children would be met on a statutory basis. It is time for the Minister to be brought into this House to answer these questions. He needs to explain to many parents throughout the country what the position will be next September with regard to their children and their schools. I have been asked to meet parents, teachers and children. The Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, boycotted this House for four months after last year's budget and I do not want that to happen again. I ask the Deputy Leader to tell us when the Minister will come to this House and face up to this issue.