O’Rourke talks the talk but fails to walk the walk

MARY O’Rourke deserves applause, no doubt, for speaking her mind about the position taken in the Department of Education on provision of teaching for children with autism.

The view that there is some animosity towards one type of education over another echoes the belief of many parents in the agonising position of being unable to fund the type of learning recommended for their children.

But Ms O’Rourke’s claim yesterday that actions speak louder than words rings rather hollow, given that she failed to put her voting feet where her mouth was after the debate.