Dan Boyle (Green Party)

I thank Members for their contributions. Senator Fitzgerald referred to an issue raised in a letter to The Irish Times about a school in Tallaght. I am afraid I cannot respond directly but if the issue is reducing teacher numbers, which is affecting special needs assistants, SNAs, I suspect it is linked to the pupil-teacher ratio, which has been restored to its 2008 level. Demographic factors might be at play but I will seek information in this regard.

We await the review of SNA system. As I have said previously on the Order of Business, some issues relate to the transfer of assistants to individual students and carryovers in individual schools. It is to be hoped the review will answer many of those questions. On the wider issue of a debate on special needs, Senator Fitzgerald was supported by Senators O'Toole, Ó Brolcháin, Callely and MacSharry. The issue is raised regularly on the Order of Business and we should see how such a debate can be facilitated. Senator O'Toole, in particular, mentioned the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, which the programme for Government partially addresses. All Members would like the legislation to be fully implemented as soon as possible and a debate would help that process.

Senators O'Toole, Hannigan, Buttimer, O Murchú, Regan, Coghlan, Donohoe and Harris called for a debate on social partnership and it is important that we have such a debate. Senators Bradford and Harris expressed different views about the role of social partnership. It is accepted that if it is restored in some form, it cannot be an alternative to decision making by the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas.