COUNTY Limerick politician Richard O’Donoghue has challenged a new assessment model in the allocation of resources for special education in classrooms, which he told the Dáil is biased against rural areas.
“25 per cent of the assessment for special needs now relates to enrolment, while 68.5 per cent is based on test scores from pupils in second, fourth, and sixth class,” the Independent TD told the Dáil chamber.
“The one that really beats me”, he said, “is that 6.5 per cent is based on educational disadvantage and the address of pupils”.
“Special needs can arise anywhere, no matter what the address. Someone living in Dublin 4 can have special needs and someone living in County Limerick can also have special needs.
“Why would this be part of a model for deciding where to get people to help with special needs? This discriminates against all rural schools. It discriminates against the most vulnerable people in this country whom we are trying to help.”
Deputy O’Donoghue told the Dáil chamber: “I am a father and grandfather. If we can do anything to help our children, grandchildren, or anyone in our area, we will do it. If these decisions are based on address, we are never going to get the proper funding put in place to help people with special needs.”
“We will not get the resources or teachers because of the way these standards are done. The decision should be based on facts and the number of pupils in the school who need help, whether the school is large or small.
In response, Minister of State at the Department of Education, Michael Moynihan, said it is important to recall that 97 per cent of all children attending school today, including the majority of those with additional needs, do so in mainstream classroom settings.
Those children, he explained, are supported by the growing numbers of special educational teachers and SNAs.
“On special education and education for our most vulnerable children, we are going to have to put raw politics aside. We must all face this issue together. It is a national issue,” Minister Moynihan said.
“There has been significant investment in the past while, but more needs to be done. We are examining the need for therapists in special schools. There is a commitment in that regard in the Programme for Government and we will work to ensure it is implemented.
“It is important that there are educational therapy supports in special schools. Building on this is the programme for Government’s commitment to create a dedicated national therapy service,” Minister Moynihan concluded.
