I am glad of the opportunity to raise the matter of the need for special facilities to be installed to cater for a class at St. Joseph's girls' national school in Skibbereen. The principal and class teacher in the school have made numerous phone calls and have written to various Departments about the lack of facilities in the special class for children with severe and profound learning disabilities, but they have received no communication or help. They feel it is of the utmost importance that priority be given to adapting a classroom which is suitable for their needs. These children cannot speak for themselves so I am putting pressure on the Minister to do something immediately. The children in the special class are all wheelchair bound and have associated severe medical conditions. They are totally dependent on staff for all their needs, including feeding, moving, changing position and lifting. In order to develop the children to their full potential, they require funding for a Leckey Pronestander. They also need funding for physio-equipment, such as wedges and rolls, and multi-sensory equipment.
Since this is the only mainstream school in the south to have taken on a class of children with severe and profound learning disabilities, the principal and class teacher feel that for the project to succeed it needs to be properly supported and funded by the Department of Education and Science.
Parents of the pupils visit the special class regularly and they are disappointed with the lack of progress by the Department. The board of management is equally disappointed. When the school management agreed to take on this class it was led to believe by the Department of Education and Science that funding would not be a problem. The school management demands an immediate response to the request.
The teacher of the special class is working in a classroom that is 30 ft. long by 26 ft. wide. The school inspector asked her to contact the Department about reorganising the classroom to suit the needs of the class. Three of the children are in wheelchairs and one is ambulant. A changing area, separate from the classroom and feeding area, is required for all four children. They are examining a toilet area of the classroom where a folding accordeon-type door could be installed to separate the changing area. A folding bench could also be installed on one wall for changing nappies. It could be folded down when not in use to make more room. One toilet in the area could be removed to make room for a therapy bath. Hot water needs to be installed in this area as well as in the feeding area. The classroom area needs a multi-sensory corner. A rail is also required, about 8 ft. by 10 ft., to corner off an area with a dark curtain for ILV light use and relaxation.
Alternatively, will the Department consider the provision of a small portakabin or a pre-fab attached to the outer wall of the classroom, with a door leading to the portakabin which could be used as a multi-sensory room? In this way, children from the other classrooms could benefit from this facility.
Needed outdoors also is a ramp for transport to gain access to the path leading to the school and a ramp to the entrance door of the classroom from the path. Action is needed immediately on this important matter – action speaks louder than words. In this Celtic tiger age there is supposed to be an unlimited source of money throughout the country. The Minister should consider this unfortunate section of our community, particularly those children who have been taken on by the school management who provide them with special education. I appeal to the Minister to give me an assurance that he will provide funding for the requirements that I have outlined. In so doing, the Minister will alleviate a serious problem in that school.
