Catherine Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)

I raise an issue that goes right to the heart of how we care for and support some of the most vulnerable children in our education system. It is the proposed redesignation of schools that currently cater for children with mild general learning disabilities, MGLDs. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting Scoil Eoin in Crumlin, Dublin, where I met the principal, Debbie O'Neill, and the vice principal, Richie Doran. I also met the children and can say without any hesitation that the work done in Scoil Eoin is exceptional. Children with mild general learning disability are thriving in Scoil Eoin. The environment is calm, structured and welcoming. It is not just a place of learning. It is a place where children feel safe, supported and celebrated for who they are. That is thanks to the dedication of the staff and the right educational setting being provided in Scoil Eoin. Parents choose Scoil Eoin for their children because they believe, rightly, that it is the place where their children will be best supported. That parental choice is essential. As the mother of a child with a severe learning disability, I understand how important it is to find the right environment for a child to thrive and how devastating it is when those options are taken away. Yet Scoil Eoin is under enormous pressure to change its designation and to fold its supports into mainstream settings. This is not a neutral or technical change. This is a deeply consequential shift that risks dismantling the very structures that allow these children to succeed.

There are now only 14 classes catering for children with mild general learning disability at post-primary level in the entire country. This is a staggering decline. It is not inclusion. It is exclusion through attrition. Let us be clear that these children, who may struggle in mainstream settings without the right supports, are more likely to become disengaged, drop out, suffer from poor mental health or even fall into the criminal justice system. This is not a risk we should be taking lightly. In contrast, students in schools like Scoil Eoin follow a level 2 learning programme, with many progressing to level 4 qualifications and going on to further education or employment. This is real and meaningful inclusion rooted in appropriate and specialist school settings.

There is no justification for forcing these schools to change their designation. If the motivation is financial and it is cheaper to repurpose a school than build a new one, then we need to be honest about that. We must also be honest about what it will cost children and their families. Inclusion should not mean forcing every child into mainstream settings, regardless of whether it suits him or her. Inclusion means meeting each child where he or she is and giving that child the best chance to thrive. That requires a range of options, not fewer options.

The Deputy is obviously a fine Minister of State, but I am disappointed that the line Minister is not here. I would have liked to have asked her if she would pause any plans to redesignate these schools and if she would commit to protecting and expanding the provision of schools and classes for children with mild general learning disability. Will she respect the voices of parents and teachers who are telling us clearly that the model is working and must be preserved?

See this speech in context