Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me raise this important matter on the Adjournment. I welcome the Minister of State to the House.

I raise the issue of special needs pupils and teachers. It is now imperative that special needs teachers and classes are exempt from the cutbacks being imposed regarding supervision and substitution cover. It is important that we acknowledge the special role of special needs education in the education system. It is extraordinary that in St. Columba's in Cork, which has become a model for the teaching of special needs students, its principal, who is a respected educator and a sincere man, is being forced to write to parents about this issue.

Does the Minister of State believe it is right that a provision causing hardship is being imposed on special needs education? Special needs classes should be exempt from the substitution and supervision cutbacks. That would avoid the need for principals to engage in crisis management and alleviate the concern among parents.

I am not making this up. This week, the principal of St. Columba's, Douglas, Cork, had to write to parents explaining to them that because of the cutbacks in the employment of substitute teachers and supervision, he may not be able to provide immediate cover on the first day of substitution if a teacher does not come to work because of illness. That creates a number of problems, not just in a specific school but across a multitude of schools in Cork and throughout the country.

It now behoves Government to admit it made a mistake. Before Christmas, the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, said he had found an additional €2.5 million but this is not mainstream education. I am talking about special needs education.

The circular should be rewritten to include a specific exemption for special needs education. It is imperative that is done. I acknowledge that at a time of plenty the provision of special needs assistants became a welcome part of the education lexicon. However, in this time of financial difficulty, those who most need our help to be educated deserve to be treated with the respect they are entitled to from the State. I ask that children in special needs classes be exempted. The Minister can insert one line in the circular to the effect that an exemption is being given to special needs classes.

This is not just about children with autism but those with all disabilities. We have made major inroads in this country regarding that issue. As the Minister of State is aware, the substitution and supervision cover is not like the cover in a mainstream class where any teacher can be brought in as cover. Special needs education requires a specific, trained person.

I appeal to the Minister to revisit this badly thought out, badly composed plan. What does it take for a principal to compose a letter, perhaps talk to the chairman of the school board of management, and send that letter to parents stating that the classes for their children may not be able to proceed because the principal cannot get adequate cover? I do not know any principal who will take pleasure in doing that.

This scheme must be revisited. We want to provide education for all our children but specifically our children with special needs. I ask the Minister to do that and give an exemption to schools that cater for special needs classes. They should be exempt from cutbacks in substitution and supervision cover. I ask the Minister of State to take cognisance of that issue when replying. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply. The example I gave is not an isolated case. The same is happening elsewhere and we need to reverse a badly thought-out cutback.