Eric J. Byrne
Question:29 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Education the percentage of children with a mental or physical disability who are currently attending integrated schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2542/95]
Written Answers. - Children with Disabilities.
Desmond J. O'Malley
Question:54 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, her Department has to assist children with disability to integrate into mainstream schooling. [2602/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 54 together.
My Department does not keep a record of the number of children with disabilities who are attending ordinary national schools. However, a survey conducted in 1992 on behalf of the Special Education Review Committee indicated that 14 per cent of children with a mental disability are enrolled in mainstream classes; the equivalent figure for children with physical disabilities is 75 per cent.
Comparable data is not currently available for second-level schools.
It is my policy to encourage the maximum possible level of inclusion of children with disabilities into ordinary schools. However, the pace of development and the degree to which this inclusion can be achieved will vary depending on the specific and evolving needs of the children concerned and the availability of resources.
The approach which I am taking 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 match the range of special needs. It is my intention to be as positive as possible in relation to these recommendations and to implement them as quickly as resources permit.
In the past two years I have made a number of significant improvements in the area in question. I have allocated an additional 186 remedial teachers to ordinary primary schools. This brought the total number of such teachers now in place to 1,133.
I have also appointed an additional 20 resource teachers with the specific role of assisting ordinary teaching staff in meeting the special needs of children with disabilities attending ordinary classes.