Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)

"Let no man write my epitaph; ... no man ... knows my motives ...". This is very pertinent to the current Minister for Education and Science. The parents of special needs children cannot understand his motives for removing special needs classes. My colleague, Deputy Michael Ring, spoke about rural transport and removing necessary services from the elderly. This appears to be the route the Government has taken - it is hitting the most vulnerable in society. It tried to take the medical cards from people over 70 years of age and now it is removing rural transport.

A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members. Special needs children are undoubtedly the most vulnerable members of our society. The removal of classes is a budgetary measure. I am disappointed the Minister is not present tonight. What will be saved by removing classes from special needs children? We take great pride in the aid we give to foreign countries, yet our own people are suffering. Not very long ago these children would have been locked away in attics and the back rooms of houses or put into mental institutions.

A special needs class is being removed from St. Oliver's national school in Killarney. I can stake all my input into political life that the school is a centre of excellence. Children travel from every corner of County Kerry and even from beyond the county boundaries to the school because it is a centre of excellence. Does the Minister realise the consequences of his action and the consequences for the children concerned? Many parents have approached me to ask that this action be stopped. Some of them are parents of children who have left St. Oliver's, gone on to mainstream secondary schools, have done well and now have jobs. Some are parents of children who are currently in St. Oliver's. I have also met parents who are seeking a place in St. Oliver's for their child, which will not be available with the removal of this class.

The principal is put in the position of having to decide who is and is not entitled to a place in this centre of excellence. That is an awful predicament. Will we have to appoint a Minister for Education and Science who has a special needs child to deal with this and to realise what is involved? Another parent called to my clinic recently. I am as tough as any man in this House but this woman brought me down to size. She told me her son is paralysed, has minor learning difficulties and is fitted with a feeding tube. She asked where her child could go when he does not get a place in St. Oliver's. I could not answer. I would hate to be in that position or for any of my constituents to be in that position.

This is due to a budgetary measure by the Minister. Where will the money be saved? The child I mentioned is entitled to one hour of special needs education per day in his national school. The centre of excellence in St. Oliver's must be retained for the people in my constituency. I am sure this is an issue in every other constituency. The savings are minimal. A child with only mild learning difficulties would be able for mainstream education if they had an I.Q. of between 50 and 70. However, this is not the case and it is up to the principal to decide who gets the places and who does not. The only savings will be in school transport. The parents of the children I am representing would be more than willing to bring their children to this centre of excellence if the class is retained.

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