Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday I raised the prospect of another savage attack on children who require special needs assistants and additional resource hours in schools. It has been confirmed that the Government is effecting a 10% reduction to children who have special educational needs and require assistance in schools. I remind colleagues opposite that since taking office that is a 25% cut since 2011. Yesterday the Leader mentioned that we are retaining the same number of hours and teachers. I am aware of that. However, there are 4,000 extra children in the system seeking assistance. Whatever language the Government uses, it is a 10% cut. The Special Needs Parents Association described it as a direct attack on the provision of services which are essential for children struggling through mainstream.

My party can be criticised for many things but in the area of education and mainstreaming children with special needs we have a proud track record. The Fine Gael and Labour Party Government is cutting the resources provided to children with special needs and dismantling the mainstreaming policy before our eyes. Given that the cut is 25% in two years, what will it be after five years? I remind the Government of what it stated in the programme for Government, namely, that it would support diversity in education of children with special needs, recognising that both intensive education and mainstreaming can be seen to work for individual children. How does that statement in the programme for Government marry with the fact that yesterday the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, effected another cut of 10% for our most vulnerable children who need this support to move on in live?

What is even worse is that the Minister hid behind the National Council for Special Education and let it announce it. He was not man enough to announce it himself. That is absolutely despicable. He is a Minister for whom I have much regard in many areas but this is nothing short of disgraceful. Not one Member opposite should stand over this cut in any shape or form. How can one stand over removing supports from children who need them?

It is also stated that if the cuts are assessed independently and a child needs five hours per week, that child will get only 75% of what is required. That is outrageous. How much is the Government expecting to save by this cut? I put it to the Leader that the saving will be minimal in the context of not giving young children a start and mainstreaming children with special educational needs. I do not want to hear the nonsense that is being peddled by Government that the number of hours will remain the same. I understand that but there are more children in the system which has been cut by 25%. The Minister for Education and Skills should come to the House and explain it to those of us who care about children with special needs, unlike the Government.