Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

It would have been far more appropriate if the Minister for Education and Science were here to take this matter on the Adjournment, because it is such a serious issue. I was glad to see the Minister for Social and Family Affairs take Deputy Catherine Byrne's matter. However, I know that the Minister of State, Deputy Wallace, has much experience in this area and I appreciate her coming here tonight.

During the debate on class sizes a few months ago, virtually every Deputy from the Government side began by saying that they came from classes with more than 30 pupils, and that it did them no harm. In fact, one Member stated that he came from a class of 42 pupils. We all know people who came out of those classes who did not quite make it because the type of supports were not there to ensure that they performed to the best of their ability. Today's announcement by the Minister for Education and Science — who considers himself to be one of the tough guys in the Cabinet — against a group of defenceless, vulnerable children is the most despicable cut of all. These children have a learning disability. This means that they cannot learn at the same rate as other children in school for which reason support teachers and special classes are put in place. We all know the children involved, because we meet them every day on the street, they are our neighbours' children, they are in school with our children or grandchildren. For an hour a day or an hour a week, they go to a class where they get intensive personalised teaching.

By giving these children support, it will ensure they at least have a chance to learn to read, write and be numerate. If that special support is removed, we will ensure they come out of school without any of those skills. These skills are necessary to survive in today's world.

We did not always have these children in mainstream schools. We used to have a bus that came into the community every morning, picked them up on each street and went to a special school when it was full. Those children were not seen anymore until they came back that night. The parents of those children campaigned, walked the streets and lobbied us until they got the type of support that was necessary in order to ensure their children could go into mainstream education. They knew what they were talking about, because it was not just about education, but about the socialisation of children with a learning disability. It was about ensuring that they made friends in school that lasted them through their lives. It was about ensuring that they mixed with their peers and that they were not ghettoised into special schools.

When these children moved into mainstream education, the structure of special schools was dismantled, because there no longer was any need for it. Therefore, there is no choice for these children. They are in mainstream education without the supports they need to stay there, but there is no way back for them because the special schools no longer exist. It is outrageous that this attack is occurring on the most vulnerable of our people. A republic is not about fine speeches, but about actions. If this action is what the Government will be judged on, it is an appalling action. The National Council for Special Education has commissioned a report on special classes, and it has not yet come back with it, but the structure has been destroyed. These children will now be left floundering next September. I am seriously disturbed at this action, and I hope that it can be overturned by next September. It is an appalling decision for any Government to make.

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