Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on a topic which touches every citizen, namely, the need to address the educational needs of our nation's children. I will focus first on the psychological assessment of children in primary schools. While this debate concentrates on the important issue of the provision of services, psychological evaluations of children with special educational needs and those experiencing difficulties in school are vital. Whether one's child attends a school covered by the National Educational Psychological Service can be a simple matter of geography. For example, whereas in some counties almost 100% of general primary schools are covered by NEPS, the figure in County Clare is 27%.

The failure to address special needs of children is closely associated with educational disadvantage and is a major contributor to early school leaving. This phenomenon has wide social repercussions. We must ensure that improvements promised in special educational needs are delivered to meet the special needs of children as of right and for the good of society.

The Barnardos 12-year strategy published in January last shows that, of those experiencing difficulties at school, children with special needs are falling through the cracks in the State's educational services. Children are not being assessed in time and, as a result, not assisted on time. Confirmation in the Barnardos report that 1,000 children per annum do not make the transition from primary to secondary education demonstrates that the Government's actions are not good enough.

I heartily endorse calls on the Minister to improve and enhance supports for children with special needs, especially in the context of the Disability Bill 2004, which was before the House today. The system pertaining to special educational needs proposed by the Minister could have a detrimental effect on smaller schools. For example, if the Department proceeds to implement the allocations announced last June, special educational needs provision in County Clare could be decimated. The ratio being applied for special educational needs nationally is one special needs assistant per 240 pupils, which is much too high for small schools, including many in my constituency, particularly west Clare. This approach would require a teacher to double as a learning support teacher and resource teacher for special needs.

The Minister stated that so-called lower incidence children, the bottom 2%, would receive additional hours. Notwithstanding this provision, current special needs assistants would still be badly hit by the proposed ratio, which will result in fewer teachers working with children with special needs than is currently the case. For example, in terms of teacher equivalents, including part-time teachers, County Clare could face a loss of 20 full-time special needs teachers. The Minister's approach means small schools, of which there are many in west Clare, will be hardest hit. Irrespective of the progress being made at a broader level, the people of County Clare will not accept a loss of services for children with special needs or learning difficulties.

It is necessary to acknowledge that some progress has been made and resources for special needs have improved in some schools in recent years. Many children receive the support of special needs assistants and the current level of support sustains many of them throughout primary school, although special needs pupils are often in classes of up to 30 pupils. Considerable praise must be reserved for parents who sought to vindicate the rights of their children in the courts. It is regrettable that in many cases they were forced to do so in the face of significant opposition from the Department.

While it is important to acknowledge the Minister's sanction in October last year of 295 additional special needs assistants to support children in almost 500 schools, the response to special needs applications is much too slow and must be speeded up. The House must insist that applications for special needs supports are processed as quickly as possible and every child is given the necessary resources once his or her requirements become known at school. Children's needs must be assessed as a matter of priority. As Deputy Enright noted, many children who have received special needs assistance until junior level are left unsupervised, perhaps for an hour in the afternoon, when they move to first class. As the INTO in County Clare has demanded, this matter must be addressed immediately. The Government must provide what is needed, when it is needed for the good of all our children and the wider society.

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