Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me the opportunity to raise this serious matter on behalf of some of the weakest people in society. While the issue relates to people in my constituency, the consequences of this decision go beyond St. Raphael's special school in Celbridge, County Kildare.

This Friday, a total of 4.5 special needs assistants will be made redundant from the school. An appeal has been made by the school to the National Council for Special Education but that appeal has been rejected. The school has been informed that this decision is final, yet children who commenced in the school last September have not yet been seen by a special needs assistant and they will be deeply affected by the redundancies. Some of the children have been categorised as having profound disabilities. It is said that a society is judged by how it treats its weakest members. These children have varying care needs. They also have educational needs. We take our ability to communicate for granted, but these children and their parents know what it is like for that skill to be absent.

Not everyone is born with the same range of skills and talents. Some of the children who have been affected by the cuts are non-verbal. Some are making good progress since they commenced in St. Raphael's. One parent told me that prior to going to the school, the only responses her child could make was to scream or to cry. Now that child can identify a glass of water or a food item, and this has made a profound difference to the lives of the whole family.

I ask that a proper independent appeals mechanism be put in place with parental input as a right. They did not have an input into the appeal made by the school. Article 42 of the Constitution states the family is the primary and natural educator of the child, yet there is no provision for the family to be involved in the appeals process. This is a grievance which concerns people.

This is an issue of natural justice. These children have not been assessed and this is wrong. I ask that at the very least, until the special educational needs organiser can assess these children and their needs, the decision on redundancies would be deferred.

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