Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Education is extremely important to every parent and family. Ireland is traditionally known as the land of saints and scholars. For many years, the education system has, unfortunately, deprived people with disabilities of a proper education. If it were not for the good graces of special schools, such as those for the blind and deaf and special schools in general, people with disabilities would have been deprived of a basic education. I always believed that the introduction of the special needs assistant and resource hours structure was a positive step forward in creating equality in education. However, that system is now broken. The announcement made yesterday is not acceptable, including the manner in which it was announced, because of the confusion it has caused. I call on the Minister for Education and Skills to immediately clarify the situation and make a statement to let the parents of the 42,500 vulnerable children in this country know that this State does care and that what is proposed is an administrative change rather than anything else.

I believe that not all of the 42,500 children concerned need resources. I welcome the announcement of a review of the methodology used in this regard. I support the calls made in this House that that process be fast-tracked. If there is waste within the allocation of special needs assistants and resource teachers then let us address that rather than introducing a universal cut, the result of which will be the provision of 25% fewer resource hours as compared with those available in 2008. Let us deal with the system and not introduce a universal cut. Universal cuts as a rule do not work. I want every primary school teacher in this country to have the skills of a resource or special needs assistant.