Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I regret that neither the Minister for Education and Science nor one of the Ministers of State at that Department is in the House. However, I am sure the Minister for Agriculture and Food will give me a satisfactory response.

I raise the issue of services for children with special educational needs at four schools in west Limerick, namely, Raheenagh, Ashford, Broadford and Templeglantine. I acknowledge the work done in this area by the board of management action group which has highlighted its concerns regarding the impact of the weighted system introduced by the Department on many schools in the County Limerick area. It is totally unjust to base the allocation of special education teachers on the total number of children. That allocation should be based on the needs of individual pupils.

On 28 June, representatives of the boards of management action group, namely, Miriam Magnier Flynn, Denise Airey and Chris Long, met a Fine Gael deputation of which I was a member. They also met Department of Education and Science officials to highlight the impact the new system was having on the schools to which I have referred.

Some 2% of the normal population in primary schools falls under the second percentile. In comparison to this national average, these four schools in Limerick are particularly disadvantaged in that 13% of their pupils have scored under the second percentile, as diagnosed by qualified psychologists. This is six and a half times the national average and that must surely count as an exceptional circumstance which should be taken into consideration in calculating their allocation. These schools simply request a retention of the current level of special education teachers.

The deputation that met the Minister's officials presented a comprehensive submission outlining the necessity for the retention of the learning support for these schools. In the case of Raheenagh, Ashford and Broadford, this would mean the allocation of two special education teachers would need to be increased to four, which would be compatible with the current allocation in these schools. Therefore, no extra staffing is required.

Templeglantine school has a current allocation of 2.6, or 65 hours, and the allocation of two special education teachers created a deficit of 0.6, or 15 hours. The school requires a retention of 2.6 special education teachers to conform to the allocation it requires. This allocation is essential because embodied in Templeglantine's submission are five frozen applications which require an allocation of 12.5 hours. To continue to deprive children with special educational needs is most unjust. In order to redress this situation, the action group's submission proposed a cluster for Templeglantine and Athea, which need an allocation of 0.4, or ten hours, of special education teaching support.

This is a fair minded request and I hope the Minister accedes to the validity of these demands. The deputation from the boards of management action group acknowledges the constructive discussion with the Minister's officials. I hope her response will acknowledge the general request for increased special education teaching support for these schools. The action group's submission proves the exceptional disadvantage that exists in these schools due to the high level of children with special educational needs, six and a half times the national average.

Many parents are fearful of what will happen in September when the primary schools return. It is imperative that this uncertainty and fear is removed by ensuring the fair and justifiably proven special educational needs requirement, as outlined in the action group's submission, is granted. I have consistently highlighted in this House the injustice done to pupils in schools like these as a consequence of the new weighted system. I look forward to a positive response.