Ivana Bacik (Independent)

Yesterday, Senator Norris raised the case of the Magdalene laundries. Perhaps we can have a debate in this House on the initial report, which is to be made to Cabinet by the interdepartmental committee announced by the Government. Senator Norris and others have raised ongoing issues that have come to light in respect of the Magdalene laundries. I refer to the article by Mary Raftery in The Irish Times of two days ago, which outlined the ways in which health and safety and factories legislation should have applied to these laundries. A further article by Patsy McGarry in The Irish Times today outlined that many Departments used the services of the laundries, which were able to undercut other laundry services because they were paying no wages to the incarcerated women. We need to have a debate on this in the Seanad as soon as the interdepartmental committee has made its report. I welcome the announcement of the interdepartmental committee to investigate the facts. We must keep oversight of this within the Legislature, as well as having the Government call the independent committee.

I ask the Leader for a debate on education. Others called for a debate on the allocation of special needs assistants. In response, the Leader said that the Department of Education and Skills has given a clear and welcome indication that existing levels of special needs assistants in special schools will be maintained in order to protect and assist the most vulnerable children. The Department will ensure all schools that enrol children with significant care needs will have special needs assistant support allocated to the school. However, there is concern about a reduction in the number of special needs assistants. The previous Government decided to cap the special needs assistant posts in 2010.