David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response and for the information she has imparted. Deputy Carroll MacNeill maintains that access to psychological training is necessary to help understand and better manage behaviours, especially overstimulation behaviours that might reflect the child's anxiety, and she is interested in what kind of training is made available to teachers in this area.

The Deputy asks if teachers will be given better training on special education, which the Minister of State has probably addressed already. Deputy Carroll MacNeill maintains it appears that teacher training involves a two-week placement in a special school. Will the Minister of State clarify the amount of time teachers spend in situin special schools as part of their training? Is there a requirement to provide lesson plans, as is the case in other places? She maintains there is no such requirement and she is concerned about how the special classes will be staffed without proper training and a deep understanding of real inclusion. We often have children integrated in mainstream classes. What encouragement and supports are in place to enable teachers to get training in those circumstances?

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