Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I would not be so brave as to state anyone has the power to say anything to the HSE. In reality, however, we can express what our preference would be. Even the Minister for Health encounters difficulty on occasion in obtaining responses from the HSE. The legislation recognises the reality in straitened times. We have the power of persuasion and the NCSE, the agency responsible for dealing with people with special educational needs, will do everything possible within its remit. The Senator is a professional in this area and will be aware that sometimes there is a combination of special educational needs in a particular instance. Where that combination includes a difficulty in communicating through language, the power we have - we never had the budget to allow us to do so - is to make a compelling case to the NCSE which is an autonomous body and can then put that case to the HSE. Beyond this, we do not have the power to compel or prescribe. That would be for the professionals.