Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Tuffy for sharing time and welcome the Minister of State and his officials.

Ireland has come a long way in the past few years following the introduction of anti-discriminatory and employment equality legislation and the publication of this special educational needs Bill. The purpose of this comprehensive legislation is to strengthen and improve special education. Hopefully, if the legislation is delivered on the ground and if resources are provided to support it, Ireland will be as advanced in this area as anywhere in the world. This critical legislation will make a difference in the lives of thousands of exceptional children and their parents.

Last October the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, quoted John F. Kennedy who said, "Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream, which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation". Those words are as true today as they were 40 years ago. While they apply to each of us, they have particular resonance for children with disabilities who are at risk of being marginalised and suffering disadvantage because of their special educational needs.

Our education system focused primarily on the majority of children who did not have such needs in the past. The legislation will ensure teachers are better trained to help children with special needs. My sister is deputy principal of the national school in Ballinteer and she said it is critical teachers who help special needs children are adequately trained to a sufficient standard because, in many cases, they are not specialised enough.

The legislation will provide for the involvement of parents in the education of their children. Strengthening, monitoring and enforcement of its provisions will allow schools and parents to resolve disputes fairly and quickly to help students with special needs to make the transition from school to life beyond.

A number of the effects of spina bifida such as poor hand-eye co-ordination, perceptual difficulties and lack of concentration can be ameliorated once they are identified and addressed at an early stage in a child's education. Representatives of the disability sector would like the Bill to have addressed aspects of continual education requirement for children with special needs. Continual education throughout their lives must be given greater recognition than at present. The spina bifida association believes the parents of children with special educational needs will be eternally grateful in years to come for this legislation