Mr. John Haran:

I thank the committee for having us here today. It has been brilliant. I apologise for being late but my flight from Donegal was delayed by an hour.

St. Bernadette's school in Letterkenny is brilliant and the number of pupils attending rises every year. That is a testament to the staff in the school and the work that we are doing. Traditionally, our numbers would have increased in respect of secondary education. So children would have gone to school up until sixth class in their local community but their parents would have realised that the jump to the local secondary school with 500 or 600 students and bells ringing and classes moving around was too much. Therefore, children would come to us for their secondary education. Over the last five years, we have seen a massive increase in the number of children coming to us at an earlier age so from third, fourth or fifth class in primary school. Without exception, every parent has said to me that within six weeks of their child starting in St. Bernadette's they wished their child had been in the school years ago. That is wonderful for us to hear but sad for parents that mainstream education did not work out for them. Mainstream education does not work for everyone and that is why children come to us. These children get the most wonderful education in a place, as Ms O'Neill has said, where they are loved and cherished.

It is important to point out that our staff over the years have built up massive expertise and experience in the field of mild general learning disability. Our brilliant teachers applied to work in our school because it is a MGLD school. That is their passion and where their expertise lies. They will get burned out and leave if our designation is changed because it will not be for them and is not what they signed up for. They are brilliant teachers and brilliant at what we provide. Special education is complex and wide-ranging. Why change a sector that is doing so well and that works so well for our students?