Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I am seeking a statement from him on Department of Education Circular 0038/2007. The circular applies to primary school children who have a specific speech and language disorder. I raise this matter because the circular, which dates from 2007, needs to be updated. It is 16 years old. It consists of three paragraphs. The introductory paragraph sets out the criteria for admission to a special class and states that the child must satisfy the diagnostic criteria for this specific speech and language disorder. The third paragraph provides more detail on the criteria for enrolment. All those criteria are set out in evidence. In other words, these are areas that have undergone international peer-reviewed research into persons who have a specific speech and language disorder. The second paragraph, however, states, "Eligible pupils may spend up to two years in such classes." In other words, young boys or girls, whose needs are not being met elsewhere in the community, by the way, find their way into a special class where they begin to blossom but then, for an arbitrary, idiosyncratic and capricious reason, their time in that class is capped at two years. This is causing unnecessary suffering among children, parents and families. What intrigues and angers me about this is that it is literally the stroke of a pen. Some civil servant in the Department of Education, with no qualification in these areas and without reference to any research of evidence, capped their attendance at two years.

I have an example of this in practice. I have been approached by a family who are distraught. Their son, Harry, is attending one of these classes. He matches all the criteria and has a specific speech and language disorder. He attends St. Kevin's National School in Greystones. This young boy has blossomed in that class in the past two years. He is thriving. He is facing the prospect, however, of having that wonderful experience terminated in June this year simply because of this piece of paper.I might add that the capitation grant is €785. That is what we are talking about here. I ask the Minister of State and Minister to take that line out so that principals and boards of management can keep these children in the environment where they are thriving.

In a previous life, before I joined the Army or became a lecturer and then a Senator, I was a primary school teacher. All of our educational philosophy is child-centred. The Department of Education reiterates repeatedly through its documentation that it places the child, and the child's needs, front and centre. I am asking that this arbitrary cap of two years be removed. To amend a circular will take a civil servant, I would say, approximately six minutes, or even less, to find the file and do it, but it would make a huge difference in the lives of children like Harry. I ask the Minister of State specifically if we can revisit this case and give young Harry Ryan the opportunity he needs to fully self-actualise as a participant and citizen. Ireland has a very bad record; it is the worst country in the European Union in which to have a disability. We can do something meaningful here. We can actually intervene here at a cost of €785 to change things dramatically for this child and his family.