I wish to raise two items of legislation, the first being the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, Act 2004. This Act has not been fully enacted and its primary objective was to ensure that children with special educational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have such needs as long as this is in the best interests of the child. I understand the Minister for Education and Skills has initiated a report into how best to allocate resource hours and special needs assistants because at present, such allocation is highly inconsistent and unfair across the country. Last night, I met a delegation from Down Syndrome Ireland, which is extremely worried about the implementation of this Act. The delegates were extremely worried about a report the Taoiseach's colleague in government was meant to bring forward this week. When will parents of children with special educational needs and when will parents of children with Down's syndrome know how the Government will ensure they will get the required resource hours and special needs assistants? They absolutely need to know this in advance of next September.

The second item of legislation is the health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill. The nurses in the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, which services counties Longford and Westmeath, have voted on industrial action because 60 nurses are needed to bring the hospital to an appropriate level of safety.

Please, Deputy.

When will Members have an opportunity to debate the disastrous consequences of cuts to the health service in the future?

To what Bill is the Deputy referring?

The health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill.

While I do not have a date for the health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill, I can inform the Deputy that approvals have been given for additional staff in Drogheda and Limerick, as well as for paramedics in various locations nationwide and where they are needed.

What about Mullingar?

I cannot give the Deputy an accurate figure on Mullingar but it should be treated no differently from other hospitals.

In respect of the EPSEN Act, it was necessary to conduct a considerable amount of research on those sections. There has been no cutback in resource teachers or special needs teachers and the opposite has been the case. I understand the reason for the delay in this regard was the research it was necessary to carry out into some of those sections of the Act on the part of the Minister for Education and Skills. Obviously, she will make a public statement when she is ready to move on that.

Has the Taoiseach any indication as to when that may be?

I do not, but I will find out for the Deputy.