Ms Breda Corr:

I am so used to it that I call them units, but they are, in fact, special classes. According to the Department, two special classes constitute a unit. There are about 1,400 special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools. The problem which the Department is trying to address is that there are pockets of the country where the provision of post-primary schools with units is poor. Some members will probably be aware of this from their communities. There is good provision of autism units at primary school level, but the question is where will pupils go if they want to have the safety provided by a unit at post-primary level. The focus must be on what is in the best interests of a child. Sometimes placement in a special school is best. It is a matter of parental choice. Sometimes pupils move from mainstream schools to special schools and that is their choice. They can move back and forth. The ideal is to have dual enrolment to enable pupils to try both for a while, but that is another day's work. It is a matter for the Department to work out who should receive the capitation payment. That is the ideal in a situation where there is a special unit in a school. If the unit is located in a girls' school, the boys in the unit could move on or move to the mainstream boys' school on the same campus to attend some classes.

I am not addressing the issue of religion today but special educational needs and how schools with units and special schools can be best provided for in the Bill. Following on a point addressed earlier, I would like to see more schools taking more children with special educational needs. We all know about soft barriers. Change will come, but my final word is that there must be a willingness to change. Schools should not be forced to provide a unit in order to receive resources. The board of management should want to do it; then the unit would be more welcoming for children.