The most recent data available to my Department relates to the 1996-97 school year. At that time there was a total of 5,998 children with special needs attending special classes attached to ordinary primary schools. The data is broken down by reference to children's ages rather than class attended. A total of 4,842 of these children were aged 11 years or younger. The remaining 1,156 children were aged 12 or over.
The annual census of children attending primary schools conducted by my Department's statistics section indicates that of the 456,094 ordinary pupils in the primary system in 1996-97 school year, 735 did not make the transition on second level. The survey also indicated that 749 children who left special schools or special classes did not continue their participation in the education-training system and did not go to open or sheltered employment.
Data relating to the overall number of special needs children attending primary school on a fully integrated basis and the number of special needs children in the second level system is not readily available in my Department at present.
The lack of adequate statistical data relating to special needs children within the education system, particularly integrated special needs children, and the development of mechanisms to address this deficit is one of the key issues currently being considered by a special steering group which has been established in my Department to review overall provision in the special needs area. In considering this issue the group will have regard to the findings of a recent survey of special needs within the second level system.