Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is fitting to ask that when we speak about life and death matters, be it abortion or euthanasia, we be very tempered in the language we use, knowing our words affect others.

All I ask for is tolerance and respect. Clearly, Senators are coming from different starting points. That is fine, but let us be careful about the language we use.

Will the Leader ask the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, to make a statement on the urgent issue of resources for children with Down's syndrome? They are in our schools and have been classified as having mild learning difficulties, which is the intellectual classification, but they have additional needs in terms of speech, movement, etc. Parents are concerned. This is happening in every county, including Galway. Before we go into recess, parents need to know where they will stand in September.

After the general allocation model came into being approximately five years ago, children with Down's syndrome were stripped of their specialist teaching resource hours. As a result, they have been disadvantaged. Education is a right and there must be a level playing field. This is what equality of opportunity means in terms of education provision. The Minister must man up before the summer recess. We might only need one hour for the debate, but it would be worthwhile.