That is a cynical-----

Given your record on children and young people in the State-----

The Taoiseach is not happy to answer questions.

I want to return to the Government's cuts to special needs assistants, SNAs, for schools and its pause, as the Taoiseach calls it. I want to establish exactly what that means. I raised the situation generally but also specifically with the Taoiseach yesterday. Fossa National School in Killarney has been written to in order to inform it that it will be losing four SNAs. Johnstown Boys National School in Dublin will lose five SNAs. Scoil Barra in Ballincollig, Cork, will lose two SNAs. Will the Taoiseach help us by c…

Will those SNAs be maintained or lost?

No, you did not. What does it mean?

That does not mean anything.

Some of the words being used by parents, special needs assistants, SNAs and teachers alike in the past few days are "panic", "fear" and "anger". They are beside themselves with worry after schools received letters informing them of the decision of the Government to cut their SNA allocations. We have heard of schools losing as many as five or six SNAs. These cuts will be devastating for children with additional needs who depend on their SNAs to cope with challenges, to be included, to learn, to progress and to reach…

Níl an Rialtas ar a dtaobh. Níl sé ar thaobh na SNAs, na páistí nó na múinteoirí.

The Taoiseach seems to not accept or understand that schools in any event have been struggling and are under pressure. If there is an excess of SNAs across the school communities of this land, I certainly have not seen it. I think all of our colleagues would confirm that if you go from school to school and principal to principal, you will see that they are tearing out their hair out as they try to do the best for the children under the most enormous pressure. Now the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, is proposing cuts. Ye…

The Government needs to acknowledge and respect the vital, essential role of SNAs for children in the school system.

The Government also needs to commit to not to cut any of them. That is what is needed. That is what the Taoiseach needs to say.

I hope the Taoiseach will get to his feet, alleviate the anxiety of parents and SNAs and make it clear these cuts will not proceed.

I have given the Taoiseach the numbers there.

So is Fossa not losing four?

Johnstown is losing five.

How many should they lose?

Oh my God, you are so out of touch with what is happening.

The Taoiseach is out of touch with what is happening.

Oh my goodness.