Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I am pleased Senator Fitzgerald has raised the issue of education. It was also raised yesterday by Senator Cummins. I would like to provide a simple explanation for what has happened. On the last occasion the test was carried out in Irish schools there were particular levels of resources in respect of the provision of special schools and classes, in which children with special needs were dealt with. At the time there were many non-national children - now known as visitor children - in our schools and the State assigned teachers to assist them because they did not speak English. On average, 10% of children have learning difficulties or special needs, while a further 3% to 4% do not speak English as their first language. The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 was introduced to deal in part with this issue, but the Government refused to enforce it. It then withdrew special needs assistants. There is a structural systemic difficulty-----