Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have been debating with myself whether I would welcome the Minister’s U-turn or not as it is one of many that should have taken place in how children with special needs are being treated in our education and health systems and across society. While it is welcome the Minister has undone the cut which should never have been considered in the first place, he needs to do more. Children with special needs should not have to struggle within the school system to get the resources they require.

Their parents should not have to spend their lives struggling. They have a difficult time making sure that their children can have the best and achieve the best in their lives without having to fight the State every step along the way to make sure that it lives up to its responsibilities and helps those families and children to achieve the best they can through their lives. This political system forces them to do that, but it needs to change. It needs to recognise all the citizens of the country and treat them all equally and provide them with the services they require to lead their lives.

The Minister needs to recognise children with Down's syndrome and provide services for them in terms of special education needs. He needs to talk to his colleague, the Minister for Health, to ensure that the special needs preschools across the country are protected and maintained. He needs to reverse the decision to close St. Agnes's special needs preschool in Donegal town and ensure it stays open and is available to children. His Department and a body under it stipulate that such preschool provision must be in place alongside mainstream preschools. He has to protect and ensure that the Ballaghderg special needs preschool in Letterkenny will continue to be in place after 2015. It is only then that we will be able to recognise what the Minister has done and acknowledge and welcome his actions in regard to children with special needs across the country.

See this speech in context