Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

There were only 252 special needs assistants in total, with virtually all of these employed in special schools, and if a child had any significant educational or care need, parents had no choice but to enrol him or her in special schools where the child would have access to exceptional teachers and care staff but little opportunity to mix with other children from the community.

In 1998, the Government put in place the policy of automatic response. For the first time, a child with a special educational need had the right to additional teaching or care supports.

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