Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I only have two minutes left and there are important points I wish to make. For example, in the past year, more than 23,000 teacher training places in special education have been provided by the Special Education Support Service, a service established to provide expert support, professional development and training opportunities in special education for school staff. Some 100 teaching posts have also been provided at post-primary level to augment learning support services in post-primary schools.

The renewed programme for Government commits to the expansion in the number of psychologists in the National Educational Psychological Service to 210. This will facilitate the assignment of a NEPS psychologist to all primary and post-primary schools. The number of psychologists has already grown from 127 at the start of the current Government term to 157 psychologists currently in the service. Pending the roll-out of a full NEPS service, schools have access to psychological assessments through the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments administered by NEPS. The Opposition has raised the decision to close a number of special classes last year. I ask the House to recognise the factual position of special classes. This decision did not represent a change in policy but reflects the fact that teacher posts are allocated in line with pupil numbers. The pupil numbers in these classes were insufficient to retain the classes. I can understand the disappointment of some schools that this is the position. However, it must be understood that the majority of the schools accepted this position. Schools are also aware that every mainstream primary school has been allocated additional teaching support through the general allocation model to meet the needs of any pupil with special educational needs, including mild general learning disability. Some schools which appealed the decision to close the classes and which have provided substantial reasons to either retain the class or have the class redesignated, received a fair hearing. On appeal, 11 of the classes were retained and a further three classes were also resdesignated to cater for pupils with other disabilities. The schools concerned had enrolled pupils with disabilities other than mild general learning disability in the classes.

I assure the House that the Government is very aware of the difficulties families of children with disabilities face. Its only objective is to support these families and the schools their children attend. I commend the amendment to the House.

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