Vol. 473 No. 1
238 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the resolution by the EU Council of Ministers of 31 May 1990, regarding provision of resources for children with special needs in mainstream education; whether her departmental task force, set up to implement the recommendations of SERC, had regard to this resolution; and the extent to which this resolution has been complied with. [24436/96]
I am fully aware of the terms of the Resolution in question.
The sentiments expressed in that resolution were strongly reflected in the recommendations of the Special Education Review Committee. Significant progress has already been made in implementing those recommendations across the entire spectrum of special needs and my Department is continuing this process on a phased basis as resources permit.
In the case of children with special needs in mainstream education, I have allocated an additional 241 remedial teachers to the primary sector. A total of 1,188 remedial teachers are now in place and the percentage of pupils who have access to a remedial service has increased from 77 per cent to 87 per cent. I have also allocated an additional 98 remedial teachers at post-primary level.
In addition, I have allocated 39 resource teachers to primary schools to provide special support to children with certain disabilities attending ordinary classes. A further 56 resource teachers have been appointed at post-primary level.
I am also pleased to inform the Deputy of my decision to appoint two additional teachers to the visiting teacher service in the current year.
The White Paper on Education, Charting our Education Future, sets out the Government's policy for the provision of suitable education services for pupils with special needs. A fundamental objective of the commitment in the White Paper is to ensure to the maximum possible extent that all children with disabilities will have access to suitably resourced education services in their own area and within the ordinary school system.
I am satisfied that the measures which have already been taken to implement the SERC report and the commitment outlined in the White Paper are entirely consistent with and supportive of the sentiments expressed in the resolution to which the Deputy refers.
