Vol. 406 No. 4
18 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education if she will outline her Department's plans for the future of the school for mentally handicapped children at the Brothers of Charity, Renmore, Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
In considering how best to address the future educational needs of children with learning difficulties in the Galway area, my Department have given careful consideration to a report prepared by the Brothers of Charity Services on this subject.
A particular area of concern has been the serious decline in enrolment in recent years at Holy Family School and the age structure of the remaining pupils.
I consider that the continued commitment of teaching and other resources to Holy Family School no longer represents the most effective response to the needs of the area. A more appropriate course for the future would be to discontinue the school and to re-allocate resources as part of a wider programme aimed at meeting the variety of needs of the area.
I am very disappointed and astonished at the Minister's reply considering that he knows as much about this problem as I do.
I know a lot more.
I do not think so.
Such modesty.
I consulted the parents and that is something which the Minister has not done. Had he done so, he might know as much about it as I do. Is the Minister aware — if not I will make him aware — of the grave concern caused to the parents of the children who attended the schools for mentally handicapped children at the Brothers of Charity, Renmore? Is the Minister aware that the parents of the 70 children who attend this school are very satisfied with the school and the progress their children are making? Therefore, why close the school? What provision is being made by the Minister for the children in the Holy Family School who cannot be suitably integrated in other schools?
Please Deputy, that should be adequate surely.
Why did the Minister not consult with the parents and then perhaps he would known as much as I do about it?
I have to dissuade Members from putting questions in omnibus form.
I made that remark not in any arrogant fashion but because of Deputy McCormack's continued refusal to recognise the facts in regard to this case.
It sounds like an apology.
I should like to state that the enrolment has declined continually from 180 pupils a few years ago to 109 in December 1988, to 70 in December 1990 and 69 at present.
(Limerick East) Why?
The reason is that parents throughout the country now wish to have slow learners educated in normal primary schools' special classes with adequate supports. I am the first to admit that we are striving to provide those adequate supports. At present the supports are not as good as we would wish them to be. However, in regard to the particular school concerned a second major problem is that in this primary school in Galway we have one 19-year old, a number of 18-year olds and several 17-years olds. In fact, there are only 16 pupils in the school who should be in a special primary school.
It is a serious matter of concern to Department inspectors and psychologists and the Brothers of Charity, who are the trustees of the school, that this situation should continue. I should also like to point out to Deputy McCormack that there are ten teachers in the school at present. If we were to apply the normal pupil-teacher ratio, four of those teachers would have to leave the school immediately. In fact, four of those teachers will be on the panel next June. Therefore, in line with all the recommendations from all the experts in the field of special education the intention is to integrate, the students as far as possible, into special classes and into normal schools, with additional resource teachers in the Galway area. This is in line with the policy now being pursued by the Minister and has been welcomed by parents throughout the country. I want to add that any pupils in this school who are in need of continued special schooling will receive that special schooling in an alternative arrangement as a result of the new arrangements now being put in place.
The Minister seems to base his contentions about this school on a report by the Brothers of Charity. Is the Minister aware that the parents of the children attending this school were not consulted in the preparation of that report? He also bases his contentions on the declining numbers in the school. Is the Minister aware that numbers are declining in that school because children are not being referred to it? This is part of the Department's policy to deliberately run down the school. Despite what the Minister has said, the parents of the children attending that school wish to keep the school open. The Minister of State and I attended a public meeting in Renmore last Monday night week. If he did not get the message from that meeting he is both deaf and blind.
The Deputy is embarking on a statement.
I cannot get over how ill informed Deputy McCormack is about this subject.
That is not true.
The Department of Education have absolutely nothing to do——
But the Minister of State has.
——with the referral of pupils with special needs to special schools. That is a matter for the Department of Health and, in the case of Galway, for their agents, the Brothers of Charity.
I will have to put down a question to the Minister for Health so.
I want to point out further — I checked this with the senior psychologist in the Brothers of Charity this morning — that no new pupils have been referred to the school in recent times because——
I know five parents who want to get their children into the school.
I have been informed by the senior psychologist, and I have checked this out, that no requests have come before the board of management of the school recently for pupils to be admitted to the school.
That is not true.
To illustrate again how ill informed the Deputy is, I want to point out that at least two parents as well as the principal, one other teacher from the school and two psychologists from the Brothers of Charity had an input into the report, which I have with me.
When did they get off the working party——
I want to move on to another question, if I may.
All those people were represented on the working committee which recommended that this school should be closed and the children integrated into the normal education system.
The Minister is misleading the House.
Deputy McCormack is doing a major disservice——
I am serving the people I represent, something the Minister is not doing.
——in continuing to put forward a case which is based on total——
Let us not personalise the matter.
The Minister of State is personalising the matter.
Please, Deputy McCormack. Question No. 19.
The Minister of State is deaf and dumb if he did not get the message at that meeting.
Resume your seat, Deputy.
I did get it.
That would not appear to be the case.
I have called Question No. 19.
