asked the Minister for Education her policy for the establishment of classes for the mildly mentally handicapped in post-primary schools; the number of such classes at present available; the number of applications at present in her Department for such classes; and if she intends to establish such classes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Handicapped Primary Pupils.
4.
Where suitable arrangements are made my Department will authorise a teaching post to an appropriate post-primary school in addition to the normal quota as a special resource for the school in catering for the second-level educational needs of pupils who have been catered for in special classes in primary schools. Such additional resources are at present available in ten post-primary schools. Three applications are at present under consideration in connection with the question of the authorisation of such teaching posts in the school-year 1984-85.
When will a decision be made on those three schools and how long are the applications in? Is it intended to publish the departmental study on classes for the handicapped?
I have not the information in relation to the latter part of the Deputy's question regarding publication of the report. With regard to the applications, we have an application from three schools: Our Lady's secondary school, Castleblayney; Convent of Mercy, Ballyshannon and the community school at Malahide. I have not the dates when each application was made. I want to emphasise the extra resource rather than talking of special classes. I am advised that in the best interests of such pupils they should not be confined to special classes at second level but should be integrated into as much of the general school activity as is appropriate. I want to leave it to the school management to decide the extent of such integration in the light of their own circumstances.
If the school management decide that a special class is necessary is the Minister prepared to allocate the resources for this?
Yes, and the procedure in the Department has been that where it is established that a post to deal with the children is necessary, we then proceed to make the necessary appointments. We leave it to the teachers in the school to select the teacher with the qualities most suited to the post. It should not exclusively be the concern of any one teacher but should be the concern of the school as a whole that the extra post be provided.
Would the Minister of State accept that it is most unsatisfactory in a school where senior cycle pupils are in with primary pupils because classes are not available? Would he ensure where applications are sent to his Department that a decision will be expedited on them?
As I have mentioned it twice already in the past two days in relation to similar questions, I am concerned with the service that is being provided at second level and I hope to improve that over the next year.