Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, my colleague, Senator Thomas Byrne, raised the issue of Leader funding. I return to that theme to point out that the Government has been forced to admit that Leader funding has been slashed by some 43% under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. In real terms the funding has dropped from €376 million to €220 million. Some 36 Leader companies will have to reduce dramatically their community projects such as child care, rural transport and business start-ups. In a Private Members' motion in the Dáil last year, Fianna Fáil stated our commitment to maintaining the independence and partnership core of the Leader companies, which have been emasculated to a large degree and are being integrated into local government structures, generating a great deal of hostility.

We tabled a Private Members' motion calling on the Government to fully review its approach to the delivery of community services and programmes by these companies. We argued that far from being emasculated, these companies should be used as a one-stop shop to deliver rural services, including rural transport and community schemes, and continue to play a central part in sustaining the fabric of communities across Ireland. We have repeatedly raised the issue of the erosion of democratically-run services in rural Ireland. I will not repeat the litany but this is yet another massive blow for rural Ireland. I ask that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, come to the House and outline his plans for the development of the programmes that have been run so effectively and efficiently by the partnership programmes during the previous term of the Leader programme which has proved to be hugely successful. Ireland has been a benchmark and a model for other European nations in this regard. I ask that the Minister come to the House to explain what he intends to do to address this issue and whether there is any hope of restoration of funding.

May I raise another issue which has appeared in the national media? Special needs assistants represented by the IMPACT trade union have voted for industrial action. The union represents some 6,000 special needs assistants. It appears that the problem of reduced hours was becoming worse each year to the point where many jobs were no longer viable, according to the union. In some cases individual SNAs have been reduced to as little as ten hours of work over a week and as many as seven children with special needs were being dealt with by one SNA, thereby impacting on the quality of care. When contacted, the Department kicked the can down the road stating out that the finger of blame should be pointed at the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which oversees the annual allocation of the SNA service.

As everybody in public life who has had to deal with the issues of SNAs around the country is aware, many of us from rural Ireland have had to do this, the Department always kicks it over to the NCSE. That is not good enough. The Department should take responsibility in this regard. It was a Fianna Fáil Government under the then Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Micheál Martin, who introduced the concept of special needs assistant. It is a credit to that system that it has worked so well and so effectively and now it appears it will be dismantled yet again. Can one imagine one SNA having to deal with seven special needs children in one classroom or one school? It is not fair. It is not equitable. It is totally unacceptable. I fully support the union on this matter and seek a response from the Acting Leader as to what measures she believes should be taken to address this very serious issue.