Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I join other speakers in calling for a debate on special needs. We all have experience from our constituencies of cuts in hours, the insensitivity of special educational needs organisers, SENOs, in certain areas and frustration at the parrot like responses that come from the National Council for Special Education when one appeals to the Minister for Education and Science. Every case is different and some require the personal attention of SENOs, who cannot simply refuse people based on a strict set of criteria.

Approximately one year ago I called for the establishment of a commission for a fairer Ireland. Now that social partnership as we knew it has effectively fallen apart after serving us so well over the past 20 years, it would be timely to establish a commission which allows all the pillars to meet over a short period of time to tease out the issues and perhaps outline a path for the next 20 years of social partnership.

This House could play a valuable role in ratifying public appointments to State boards. In regard to so-called political appointments to the board of FÁS, the fact that people have been able to apply to be appointed to various boards is a welcome development. I have the height of confidence in the appointees and their political affiliations do not impact on their expertise or ability to do a good job. In case the Senators opposite doubt me, let me remind them that one of the best appointees to the board of NAMA is a former Fine Gael activist and insolvency accountant from Limerick. The fact that he has in the past been a Fine Gael activist does not remotely affect my opinion of his ability to do an excellent job.