Ms Helen Walsh:

A couple of things have governed the number of classes. Classes have stayed static in some parts. Some classes have not had the numbers so the classes have gone away. There has not been demand within the system for those particular classes. For students with mild general learning disabilities, to a large extent their needs can be met within the mainstream environment. That does not go for everybody, which is why we have special schools for children with that disability and often a more complex profile. In reality, the supports required for students are, generally speaking, within the sector. The set allocation system within primary and post primary is specifically designed for students and teachers to be able to provide the resources required.