People Before Profit Education Spokesperson, Paul Murphy TD, has responded to the reported government plan for ‘special education centres’:
“The reports about the government’s plan for ‘special education centres’ are extremely concerning. Parents of children with special needs have been campaigning hard for the necessary supports in mainstream schools, including SNAs and special classes.
“Now they hear that the government plans to introduce ‘special education centres’, supposedly as an interim measure. Parents are rightly concerned that what begins as an interim measure will become a permanent measure, with children with special needs being separated from others.
“I also wonder whether this is designed to reduce the pressure on the government to use its powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to direct schools to open special classes. In Dublin 24 for example, there is incredibly only one post-primary school with a special class, while there are 157 primary schools with special classes. Where are all these pupils supposed to go?
“Shamefully, the government has only used its Section 37A powers twice, despite the crisis of lack of special classes across the country. The government needs to use its powers and resource schools properly to provide appropriate school places for all.”
