Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 4

Written Answers. - Special Schools Data.

Mary Wallace

Question:

128 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Education the number of schools designated for special needs; their location; their admission procedures; the right of consultation for parents of children with special needs; the number of designated schools planned for each of the next two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9895/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

There are 106 special schools which cater for children with special needs. Following is a complete list of these schools, including their names and addresses. In addition, there are 216 special classes attached to mainstream primary schools catering for children with special needs.

Children are referred to the special schools and special classes on the basis of psychological and other relevant assessments.

The White Paper on Education. Charting our Education Future, outlines the proposed future strategy for providing suitable education for children with special needs in either special educational facilities or in an integrated environment. The fundamental objective of the commitment in the White Paper is to ensure to the maximum possible extent that all children with special needs will have access to suitably resourced education services in their own area and within the ordinary school system. The degree to which integration can be achieved will depend on the specific and evolving capacities of the individual children concerned.

The rights of consultation for parents of children with special needs will continue to be an integral part of this process. The decision-making process, in relation to the replacement of a student in an ordinary and-or special school, will be a collaborative one, made by the parents and the professionals involved, with the objective of providing what is best suited to the child's development and needs.

The precise number of schools which will, over the next two years, be designated as centres where students with particular disabilities may be educated, as outlined in the White Paper, has not yet been determined.

Schools for Mildly Mentally Handicapped Children

County	Roll No.	School
Carlow	19315	St. Laserian's, Dublin Road, Carlow.
Clare	19414	St. Anne's, Kilrush Road, Ennis, County Clare.
Cork	19759	St. Mary's, Rochestown, Cork.
Cork	18458	St. Bernadette's, Bonnington, Montenotte.
Cork	18586	Queen of Angels, Montenotte, Cork.
Donegal	19592	St. Bernadette's, Letterkenny, County Donegal.
Dublin	17971	St. Michael's, Glenmaroon, Chapelizod.
Dublin	18499	St. Augustines, Obelisk Park, Carysfort Avenue.
Dublin	19325	St. Ciaran's, St. Canices Road, Glasnevin.
Dublin	19382	St. John's, Armagh Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12.
Dublin	19520	St. Joseph's, Greenhills Road, Tallaght.
Galway	19201	Holy Family School, Renmore, Galway.
Kerry	19376	St. Ita's and St. Joseph's, Balloonagh, Tralee.
Kildare	19455	St. Mark's, Piercetown, Newbridge, County Kildare.
Kilkenny	19210	Mother of Fair Love, James Street, Kilkenny.
Laois	19337	St. Francis, Portlaoise, County Laois.
Limerick	18692	Catherine McAuley School, Ashbourne Avenue South Circular Road, Limerick.
Louth	18772	St. Brigid's, Ard Easmuinn, Dundalk, County Louth.
Louth	18936	St. Ita's, Drogheda, County Louth.
Mayo	19248	St. Anthony's, Castlebar, County Mayo.
Mayo	19387	St. Dympna's, Ballina, County Mayo.
Meath	19216	St. Ultan's, Flower Hill, Navan, County Meath.
Monaghan	19328	St. Enda's, Monaghan Town, County Monaghan.
Sligo	19340	St. Joseph's, Ballytivnan, County Sligo.
Tipperary	19230	Scoil Chormaic, Cashel, Tipperary.
Waterford	19244	St. Joseph's, Parnell Street, Waterford.
Waterford	19292	St. John's, Dungarvan, County Waterford.
Westmeath	18534	St. Mary's Delvin, County Westmeath.
Westmeath	19792	St. Brigid's, Mullingar, County Westmeath.
Wexford	19266	Our Lady of Fatima, Carrigeen Street, Wexford.
Wicklow	18408	Newcourt School, Newcourt Road, Bray, County Wicklow.

Schools for Moderately Mentally Handicapped Children

County	Roll No.	School
Cavan	19439	Holy Family, Cootehill, County Cavan.
Clare	19233	St. Clare's, Ennis, County Clare.
Cork	18208	Our Lady of Good Counsel, Lota, Glanmire, County Cork.
Cork	19203	St. Paul's, Montenotte, Cork.
Cork	19433	Holy Family, Charleville, County Cork.
Donegal	19724	Litle Angels, Letterkenny, County Donegal.
Dublin	18671	St. Michael's House, 17 Grosvenor Road, Dublin 6.
Dublin	18763	St. Michael's House, Ballymun, Dublin 11.
Dublin	19373	St. Michael's House, Dublin Road, Raheny, Dublin 5.
Dublin	19757	St. Michael's House, Hackettstown, Skerries, County Dublin.
Dublin	19151	St. John of God, Islandbridge, Dublin 8.
Dublin	19039	St. Vincent's, Navan Road, Dublin 7.
Dublin	19032	Stewart's Hospital, Palmerstown, Dublin 20.
Galway	19047	St. Joseph's, Thomas Hynes Road, Newcastle, Galway.
Kerry	19547	St. Francis, St. Mary of the Angels, Beaufort, Killarney, County Kerry.
Kerry	19548	Nano Nagle, Listowel, County Kerry.
Kildare	18988	St. Raphael's Celbridge, County Kildare.
Kildare	19277	St. Anne's Newbridge, County Kildare.
Kilkenny	19383	St. Patrick's, Kells Road, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny.
Louth	19214	St. Mary's, Drumcar, Dunleer, County Louth.
Limerick	19200	St. Vincent's, Lisnagry, County Limerick.
Longford	19429	St. Christopher's, Leamore Park, Battery Road, Longford.
Mayo	19375	St. Brid's, The Mall, Castlebar, County Mayo.
Mayo	19773	St. Nicholas, Ballina, County Mayo.
Meath	19560	St. Mary's, Athlumney, Navan, County Meath.
Roscommon	19789	St. Michael's Castlerea, County Roscommon.
Sligo	19206	St. Cecila's, Cregg House, Sligo.
Tipperary	19615	Scoil Aongusa, Cashel, County Tipperary.
Tipperary	19370	St. Anne's, Sean Ross Abbey, Roscrea, County Tipperary.
Waterford	19180	St. Martin's, Lady Lane, Waterford.
Wexford	19240	St. Patrick's, Bohreen Hill, Enniscorthy, County Wexford.
Westmeath	19261	St. Hilda's, Athlone, County Westmeath.
Wicklow	19522	St. Catherine's, Newcastle, County Wicklow.

Hospital Schools for Physically Handicapped Children

County	Roll No.	School
Dublin	16624	St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, Finglas, Dublin 11.
Dublin	17890	Temple Street Hospital, Dublin 1.
Dublin	18815	Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Dun Laoghaire.
Dublin	18788	Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
Dublin	19207	Harcourt Street Hospital, Dublin 2.

Schools for Physically Handicapped Children

County	Roll No.	School
Cork	18483	School of the Divine Child, Lavanagh, Ballintemple, Cork.
Dublin	18317	Central Remedial Clinic, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3.
Dublin	18210	St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital Baldoyle, Dublin 13.
Dublin	18379	Sandymount Clinic, Sandymount Avenue, Dublin 4.
Dublin	19590	Scoil Mochua. Nangor Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.
Limerick	19603	St. Gabriel's, St. Joseph Street, Limerick.
Wicklow	18281	Cerebral Palsy Clinic, Bray, County Wicklow.

Schools for Hearing Impaired Children

County	Roll No.	School
Dublin	16864	St. Joseph's School for Hearing Impaired Boys, Cabra, Dublin 7.
Dublin	17944	St. Mary's School for Hearing Impaired Girls, Cabra, Dublin 7.
Dublin	18896	Mary Immaculate School for Hearing Impaired Boys, Stillorgan, County Dublin.
Cork	19291	School for Hearing Impaired Children, South Presentation Convent, Cork.
Limerick	19719	Mid-West Oral School for Hearing Impaired Children,
		Rosbrien, Limerick.

Schools for Blind or Partially Sighted Children

County	Roll No.	School
Dublin	16583	St. Mary's School for Blind Girls, Merrion, Dublin 4.
Dublin	18417	St. Joseph's School for Visually Impaired Boys,
		Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

Schools for Children with a Specific Learning Disability

County	Roll No.	School
Cork	19410	St. Killian's, Sunday's Well, Cork.
Dublin	19499	St. Oliver Plunkett, Monkstown, County Dublin.
Dublin	19705	Catherine McAuley, Baggot Street, Dublin 2.
Dublin	20010	St. Rose Special School, Balrothery, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Schools for Children of Travelling Families

County	Roll No.	School
Dublin	19602	St. Columba's Day Care Centre, Great Strand Street, Dublin 1.
Dublin	19793	St. Thomas', Clonshaugh, Coolock, Dublin 5.
Galway	19842	St. Brigid's, 17 Shantalla Road, Galway.
Wicklow	19599	St. Kieran's, Bray, County Wicklow.

Schools for Emotionally Disturbed Children

County	Roll No.	School
Dublin	18569	St. Declan's, Northumberland Road, Dublin 4.
Dublin	18863	Benincasa, Sion Hill, Blackrock, County Dublin.
Dublin	18904	St. Peter's, Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6.
Dublin	18890	James Connolly House Special School, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.
Dublin	19281	Mater Hospital, Dublin 7.
Dublin	19316	St. Paul's Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9.
Dublin	19355	Ballyowen Meadows, Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin
Dublin	20028	Setanta Special School, Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin.
Dublin	19217	St. Francis Clinic, Temple Street, Dublin 1.
Dublin	19500	Phoenix Park, Dublin 8.
Dublin	19409	Casa Caterina, Dominican Convent, Cabra, Dublin 7.
Dublin	19630	Warrenstown House, Corduff Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.
Kilkenny	19523	School of the Holy Spirit, Seville Lodge, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny.
Galway	19567	St. Anne's, Lenaboy, Galway.

Schools for Multiply Handicapped Children

County	Roll No.	School
Cork	19760	Scoil Triest, Lota, Glanmire, County Cork.

Mary Wallace

Question:

129 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the concern among parents of children with special needs that their children will be educated in a school reflecting their own religious ethos; the number of designated schools which are under the direction of a religious minority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9896/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I am aware of the concerns of parents of children with special needs in seeking to have their children educated in a school reflecting their own religious ethos. I would be anxious that such concerns be fully taken on board in the context of the implementation of the White Paper proposal on designated schools and that children would be educated in accordance with their constitutional rights and the rights of their parents.

As no schools have as yet been formally designated, I am not in a position to inform the Deputy of the number of designated schools which are under the direction of a religious minority.