Fine Gael has today renewed its attack on the Minister for Education by accusing him of "disingenous and false excuses" relating to cuts in special-needs education.
Brian Hayes, the party's education spokesman, said that when Batt O'Keeffe abolished over 100 special-needs classes last February he stated children with mild learning disabilities should be put in mainstream classrooms as they would get additional teaching supports through the general allocation model.
In a statement today, Mr Hayes said documents obtained under a Freedom of Information request revealed 200 extra teaching support posts are needed to accommodate children with special needs in mainstream classrooms.
"Batt O'Keeffe's disingenuous, false excuses have been demolished by his own department. Last February he cut over 100 special needs classes. This decision resulted in around 500 children with mild general learning disabilities being forced into mainstream classrooms. The Minister stated that this was done on 'educational grounds'," the Fine Gael frontbencher said.
"In the Dáil on May 6th . . . Batt O'Keeffe said: "I want to quash any suggestion that, by closing these special classes, schools will be without the additional teaching supports required to meet the educational needs of these children. This is simply not the case. These pupils will be provided with additional teaching supports through the general allocation model."
However, Mr Hayes said a submission by the Department of Education to An Bord Snip, which he received through FOI, saw the Department say the allocation for teachers is based on 2005 figures through the general allocation model, with the department stating: 'It is estimated that some 200 posts would be required to update the allocations to current enrolments. No provision has been made for any increase in these allocation'.
"Batt O'Keeffe has been dishonest. At least 200 extra support posts are needed but he has made provision for zero despite claiming that pupils with special needs are better off in mainstream classrooms and additional supports will be made," Mr Hayes said. "By removing special education classes, additional and unsustainable pressure will be put on existing mainstream classes in schools and the rights of all children to a decent education will be inhibited."
"It is clear that Minister O'Keeffe is intent on targeting the most vulnerable and front-line services rather than taking the hard decisions necessary. His attack on children with special needs is unforgivable and his dishonesty cowardly."
However, the Minister insisted special needs pupils would continue to get extra teaching resources.
"Brian Hayes’s statement is the usual contradictory line from the main Opposition party," Mr O'Keeffe said. "Inclusion is now well established internationally and indeed it’s a principle Deputy Hayes has espoused in the Dáil. Having their children included in the mainstream class is the desire of the vast majority of parents."
In a statement, he said "effective individualised support measures", as enshrined in the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, were in place in more than 3,000 primary schools, and that the flexible curriculum allowed teachers to cater for the needs of children of different abilities.
"Even the INTO, in its submission on review of the general allocation model, welcomed the 'increased emphasis on inclusive education for pupils with special educational needs'. This Government will continue to transform the special needs agenda while others carp from the sidelines," said Mr O’Keeffe.
The Minister recently denied Fine Gael claims that he misled the Dáil on job losses in primary and secondary schools. Mr O’Keeffe said last week that Mr Hayes was being “typically disingenuous” in those accusations.
