Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Early Childhood Services Parent Group Submission.

Mr. Bradford

I am delighted to have the opportunity to raise on the Adjournment the plight of 14 children in the Cork area whose cases are sadly similar to many others throughout the country. I am disappointed that the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Martin, is not present. I am informed that he is due to meet the parents in Cork on 9 January. I look forward to that meeting.

The 14 children in this group, whose parents have formed the Early Childhood Services Parent Group, suffer from severe learning difficulties. Some of the children are autistic, some have autistic tendencies, and the remaining children have equally severe learning problems.

These children range in age from three to five years of age, and their problem is that educational services are not available to them. There is an excellent facility available for such children in the Cork region at Scoil Trieste. Unfortunately, the numbers it can accommodate are limited. I am informed that most of these children will be unable to get a place at Scoil Trieste. There is no other appropriate educational facility for these children.

The problems faced by children suffering from autism throughout the country have been featured on RTÉ programmes in recent days. We have a duty as an Oireachtas and as a nation to respond favourably. The Celtic tiger may be roaring, but when there are so many disadvantaged students not just in one county but throughout the country we must invest in the appropriate educational structures to ensure their needs are met. Most of these children will have a healthy, bright future if they are looked after through the proper educational channels. We will write off their future if we do not provide a proper teaching system and schools. This would be unfair and immoral. My request on behalf of the Early Childhood Services Parent Group in County Cork applies to many other similar groups. It is important that proper educational facilities and an adequate number of places and teachers are made available at the earliest possible date. I look forward to the Minister's meeting with the group in Cork on 9 January and hope he gives me positive news on the Government's proposals in this area.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science (Mr. Treacy)

The Minister for Education and Science is engaged with senior officials in the Department in planning for the national forum on early childhood education which stems from the commitment in the programme An Action Programme for the Millennium. The objective is to ensure that the forum will allow all groups with an interest in the area of early childhood education to put forward their views as to how best to co-ordinate, resource and support the development of services in this area to ensure equal access and opportunity for all children of pre-school age. The outcome of the forum will provide an important input to policy decisions on the future development of pre-school education services. The Minister for Education and Science is fully committed to maximising the opportunities for special needs children to participate in the education system on a fully integrated basis.

The Government programme An Action Programme for the Millennium, gives particular priority to this area through its commitment to equal opportunity and the priority it attaches to the provision of remedial teachers and resources for children with special learning difficulties. Where special needs children are concerned, it is necessary to view each case on an individual basis. For some children, the nature of the special need may be such that the child can function successfully in an integrated setting with the support, where necessary, of a remedial teacher, a resource teacher or a visiting teacher.

The degree to which integration can be achieved will depend on the specific and evolving capacities of the individual children concerned. In more severe cases, provision may have to be made for pupils in special classes or schools dedicated to the particular special need. At present, a total of 1,242 remedial teachers, 78 resource teachers and 42 visiting teachers are deployed to assist these children. This includes a total of 51 remedial teachers, 32 resource teachers and two visiting teachers newly appointed for the current school year. However, there will continue to be cases where the nature or severity of the special need is such as to require placement in a special school or special class attached to an ordinary school. A wide range of such facilities is provided and each receives a special level of staffing and funding which reflects the severity of the needs being catered for. It is the Minister's intention to continue to support these facilities. The Department of Education and Science will continue to consider applications from schools for such classes and will establish them as required.

The Minister is conscious that there is room for further improvement in this area. The Deputy can be assured that it is his intention to continue to attach priority to the further development of support services for children with special needs who are integrated into mainstream schools and to ensure that all children have access to an education appropriate to their needs. The question of the adequacy of speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and music therapy is a matter for the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Cowen.

I wish the Ceann Comhairle, his staff and my colleagues in all parties a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and successful new year.

An Ceann Comhairle

The same to you, Minister.

The Dáil adjourned at 5.25 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 28 January 1998.