Vol. 403 No. 4
9 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being created in ordinary primary schools as a result of her integration policy which has resulted in many schools attempting to cope with pupils who have serious disabilities without any additional resources being made available to the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The whole question of the education provision for children with disabilities, including the implications of integration and resource needs, has been considered by the Primary Education Review Body. The report of this body will be available to me in the very near future. At that stage I will consider the various recommendations made. I should mention that in 1984 and 1987, and more recently during the Irish Presidency of the European Community, Education Ministers adopted conclusions and a resolution in favour of the integration of children with disabilities into the ordinary academic system in all appropriate cases.
Of course there are two sets of needs and two schools of thought on the whole integration process. There are those for whom, sadly, there will always be a need for special schools and classes, either on their own or in primary schools. Their disadvantage is so severe that those are the best arrangements. More and more there are other needs to be met, the needs of those whose parents feel, and indeed assessments prove, could benefit by being in a special class in a primary school or in classes where they are integrated for some of the curriculum such as arts and crafts or physical education and receive special tuition in other subjects on the curriculum.
For the purposes of debate it is as well for us to recognise that there are two schools of thought on the matter. There are those who will always need special care and that is sad but the State is always committed to them. There is also now the growing realisation that children with slight, disadvantages will benefit by the integration process. I am glad to see Deputy Deenihan on the Front Bench and I hope that remains the position.
It is just a temporary little arrangement.
We will put up with those also.
The Minister in signing the EC document on integration I am sure was giving the Government's commitment towards the integration into our school system of children with a handicap. However, where this integration is already taking place, the schools in question have been given no extra provisions, either financial, staffing or, indeed, medical, to adapt their schools to suit children with a handicap. I will give one example.
Please, Deputy. The Chair repeats his desire to conclude the remaining priority questions. I am afraid we are not going to do so.
Would the Minister not agree that a child with a mental handicap who is in a special school at present with a pupil-teacher ratio of 16:1 would not fare as well in a classroom of 40 children unless the resources are provided?
The Deputy has given a global example which I am not able to address. I repeat my commitment, and that of the Government, to the provision of resources for children with learning disabilities or those who need to be in special schools or be part of the process of integration. If the Deputy has a particular case in mind — I accept he must have when he speaks with such feeling on the matter — I would be very glad if he would bring it to my attention. I will certainly arrange to have it considered. There is a strong need for the integration process to be resourced properly if it is to succeed. I am very aware of that and I am paying particular attention to it.
