Ms Teresa Griffin:

It is a particular issue where we know that there are children who might be coming out of a special class in primary school and want to attend post-primary school but we cannot get a school to open up a special class for them. The situation is improving, but we need the power to require it of schools. Schools are there for all children and should not be able to opt out of providing for certain categories of children.

Deputy Jim Daly asked if there was anything better being done now in teacher training colleges to prepare teachers for inclusion. This year we commissioned a review of what is provided in initial teacher training to see what exactly is being covered in the courses. It is not until we have evidence of what is happening that we will appreciate if there are still gaps. Special education is now a compulsory module in teacher training, but we do not know what is being covered in the module. It varies from college to college.

We have also spoken to the Teaching Council, particularly about the right of children to an education that is appropriate to their needs. When it is examining and sanctioning training courses, it must be cognisant of the rights of children with educational needs to a differentiated education that is appropriate to their needs and it needs to ensure that teachers coming out of initial teacher education are prepared better.

On unnecessary labelling, we are aware, because they have told us, that professionals, where they can make children fit a certain category of disability in order for them to get a resource, even if those children do not theoretically meet the requirements of the actual label, will make them fit into that category of disability. It is really bad that a child would be labelled simply to get an educational resource.