Written Answers. - Council of Ministers of Education Resolutions.
Máirín Quill
Question:
64
Miss Quill
asked the
Minister for Education
the progress she has made in advancing the resolution of the EU Council of Ministers of Education in May 1990, on the integration of children with special education needs.
[1063/94]
The resolution of the EU Council of Ministers of Education to which the Deputy refers calls on member states to intensify, where necessary, their efforts to integrate or encourage integration of pupils and students with disabilities, in all appropriate cases.
In pursuance of that resolution, it is the policy of my Department to encourage the maximum possible level of integration of children with disabilities into ordinary schools. However, the pace of development and the degree to which integration can be achieved will vary depending on the specific and evolving needs of the children concerned. It is important that a range of responses be available to meet the variety of needs which can arise and I can assure the Deputy of my commitment to ensuring that this is the case.
For some children, integration in the ordinary classroom is possible, supported, if necessary by a remedia teacher, a resource teacher or the visiting teacher service. In other cases, placement in a special class in an ordinary school is the most suitable solution In the more severe cases, placement in one of the dedicated special schools may be the most appropriate solution.
At present, 1,133 remedial teachers are in place, including 100 posts which were allocated in September 1994. The corresponding number of teachers at second level is 275, which includes 25 additional posts which I allocated this year. The Visiting Teacher Service was also supplemented by the addition of a further 8 teachers in 1992, bringing the total number of teachers in the service to 37.
An additional six teachers were appointed in 1993, bringing the total in place to 13. This year, I intend to make further resource teacher appointments to selected ordinary schools to facilitate the integration of groups of children with disabilities on their rolls.
The approach which I am taking towards the implementation of the EU resolution is a flexible one, which seeks to accommodate where possible the preferences of parents in the placement of, and provision for, their children. In adopting this approach, I am supported by the report of the special education review committee, which calls for a continuum of services to math the continuum of special needs.
I should point out that a Departmenttal task force is examining the recommendations contained in the review committee's report with a view to drawing up a phased action plan for its implementation. It is my intention to be as positive as possible in relation to these recommendations and to implement them as quickly as resources permit.
