Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of the 128 special classes in primary schools which will be suppressed by his Department from 1 September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8197/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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No pupil with a special educational need will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. These special classes, which are to close, pre-date the 2005 general allocation model of allocating additional teacher support to schools to enable them to meet the needs of pupils with mild general learning disabilities and a number of other high incidence disabilities. All primary schools now have in place additional teaching support for this purpose.

All primary schools were allocated additional teaching resources under the general allocation model to enable them support pupils with high incidence special educational needs, including mild general learning disability, MGLD. Schools can decide how best to use this allocation based on pupils' needs. Most pupils with a MGLD are taught in ordinary classes with their peers and are supported by their class teacher. The curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities.

Teacher allocations to schools typically increase or decrease depending on pupil enrolment. In the case of classes for MGLD, the normal pupil teacher ratio is 11:1. However, my Department permits schools to retain a teaching post in respect of a class with a minimum of nine pupils. In the case of 128 classes in 119 schools, the number of pupils dropped below the minimum enrolment number. Therefore, these schools no longer qualify for the 128 teaching posts allocated to them. There are currently 534 pupils enrolled in these classes.

When the general allocation model was introduced, schools with additional teachers in classes for MGLD were allowed to retain those teachers. Effectively, these schools received a double allocation. The number of these special classes has decreased since 2005 in line with falling numbers as pupils were supported through the additional teaching allocation provided and integrated into age-appropriate mainstream classes. All of the other primary schools in the country who do not have classes for children with MGLD cater for these pupils from within the general allocation model.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I ask Members to ensure their mobile phones are turned off.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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While the Minister's reply is interesting, it did not answer my question. Are the 128 special classes to be abolished from 1 September next? A "Yes" or "No" answer will do.

The Minister first said he was going to suppress all of the classes. Within a week of that he said he would consider amalgamating some of them and has today refused to answer my question in regard to whether these classes will continue. I put it to the Minister that he is making this up as he goes along and that the impact of his decisions in terms of special needs education is effectively terrorising parents in this country. Further, there are no sound educational arguments for the decision taken two weeks ago. The National Council for Special Education is currently compiling research in this area. The Minister chose to make this savage cutback for financial rather than educational reasons.

Will the Minister tell the House if he is going to row back on this latest savage cutback?

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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If parents are being terrorised, it is on the basis of the misinformation disseminated. The first report stated that 900 pupils were involved. I want now to deal with the Deputy's question, which is important.

One must first take into account the manner in which we have dealt down through the years with general mild learning disability. Special classes were established in 1989. In 2005, we introduced the general allocation model which provided for resource and class teachers. Mainstreaming of children with mild general learning disability has been ongoing in 3,000 schools around the country since 2005 and it has been successful. The whole purpose of the exercise was to examine whether children with this disability would be better off if integrated with their peers. The EPSEN Act and UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities espouse that children with a mild learning disability be integrated and educated with their peers.

Deputy Hayes asked what will happen to these classes. We examined the whole situation. The general rule since 1989 has been that there must be an 11:1 ratio in such classes. We became aware earlier in the year that these ratios were not being fulfilled.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I must call Deputy Hayes on a supplementary question.

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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There were five or fewer children in half of the classes.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I know all that. What is the answer to my question?

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The answer is that these children will be integrated into mainstream classes. Where there are two special classes on the same campus and the school can demonstrate a particular——

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Political?

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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——educational advantage in that regard I will consider amalgamating those classes.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is telling the House it will be a matter for schools to make a case for the retention of classes following which a "political" decision will be made. The word "political" was on the tip of the Minister's tongue. That speaks volumes about where we are.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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A Freudian slip.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Perhaps the Minister will respond to the following question from a mother, Cathy Shevlin, from Castleblaney, County Monaghan, whose son is ten years old and has the reading ability of a five year old.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is not normal to refer to people outside of the House.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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That child is a pupil of one of these classes. This woman has asked me to ask the Minister what advice he would give to her and her son when next September he is put into a class with a greater number of children? What advice would the Minister offer this woman?

The Minister announced 32 cutbacks last October-November and a few more since January. Will he state categorically on the floor of this House that there will be no further cutbacks in his Department this year?

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Equally, I could read out to the Deputy a letter from a parent whose child was removed from a special class and mainstreamed and who is thankful to everybody for the great strides made by that child within mainstreaming.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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That is not the issue.

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Hayes must make up his mind what policy to pursue. Does he pursue a policy of integration which psychologically, socially and emotionally is better for the child?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Is there a mobile phone in the House that is not turned off?

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My apologies, it is mine.

Deputy Hayes must make up his mind whether he agrees with the UN convention in terms of integrating children into mainstream classes and providing them with support——

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I do, but there are some children for whom that will not work.

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Hayes cannot have it both ways. He cannot continue to issue press releases that this will damage children.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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It will damage children.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is ignoring them.

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is in the best interests of children to mainstream them and to give them the supports they need. That is what we are doing in mainstream classes in 3,000 schools.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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It is saving money.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The children are being discarded.