Joe O'Toole (Independent)

It was to have been a state-of-the-art centre, a manifestation of the good of the North-South Ministerial bodies and a concrete expression of the Good Friday Agreement. It has been subjected to much political abuse. Ken Magennis in the North has tried to bury it time and again. This House has been quick to criticise unionist interests in the North which oppose North-South and all-island initiatives, but this is an example in which our Government is pulling back. The centre is based in County Armagh and run as much by southern people as by northern people. The director is Mr. Laurence Crowley and several other directors are from the South. The centre has dealt with children from as far south as Waterford. It has organised training and development for NEPS, the national educational and psychology service, in the South. It is doing extraordinary work.

Recently, I had the privilege of leading a North-South parliamentary delegation associated with Co-operation Ireland to the centre. Staff at the centre were full of confidence, moving ahead and dealing with the issues. The Government had a choice whether to put an extra lane on the road from Monaghan to Derry or to examine the option of supporting autistic children in Middletown, County Armagh. It took the easy option and buried the kids once more. That is exactly the point made by Senator Fitzgerald. Why is it every time the Government takes such decisions it is the children, without votes, expression and articulation, who suffer? It is appalling and I appeal to the Leader to allow a debate tomorrow on the broad range of issues dealing with the child abuse report to be published today, the decision of the Government on the Middletown Centre for Autism and the matter of the children who are being dealt with unfairly, incorrectly and against the spirit of the Constitution as stated by the Mental Health Commission.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business and I will continue to do so every day until there is a debate on NAMA. I do not know if people are listening to what the world is saying. What are we doing about this issue? What is the position of those on the Government side when they are asked questions about NAMA and merely reply that it is a good idea without explaining it? There is something desperately wrong about this. Of what are people afraid? Why does the Minister not come before the House to say what he is thinking and ask what we think about it? Why does someone from the Department not come before the House and explain how to move this matter forward? I seek a debate and I move an amendment to the Order of Business which I will press to a vote unless the Leader can give some commitment that there will be a debate today with a representative of the Government to explain the proposals on NAMA.