MINISTER FOR Education Batt O’Keeffe rejected a Fine Gael demand for the reinstatement of 128 classes for children with special needs. “This call defies belief,’’ said Mr O’Keeffe. “Eight of the classes concerned should have no pupils at all.’’ He said 19 other classes had only one or two pupils.

“As I have said on many occasions, I’m open to listening to the concerns of schools and that schools could make a case to keep their classes.

“The fact is that only 40 of the 119 schools concerned have written to my department seeking to retain their classes. My department is currently reviewing these appeals.’’

Mr O’Keeffe said he wanted to quash any suggestion that, by closing special classes, schools would be without the additional teaching supports required to meet the educational needs of those children.

“This is simply not the case. These pupils will be provided with additional teaching supports through the general allocation model.

“Every day, and in every school, pupils with mild general learning disability are being successfully education in integrated settings.’’

The Minister was replying to Fine Gael’s education spokesman Brian Hayes, who moved a Private Member’s motion calling for the classes to be left in place from next September for a year. Mr Hayes said during that time a review should be put in place with a proper dialogue with the education partners, and with parents.

“There are cases where some amalgamation, because of falling numbers and best educational practice, should be adopted. No one that I have spoken to disagrees with that. But to abolish all of the classes, effectively overnight, is a position that no serious educationalists could justify or consider.’’

Mr Hayes said he rejected the “penny-pinching and cruel decision’’ to suppress the 128 special classes in 119 primary schools.

“This decision will only affect just over 500 young students, but it will have far-reaching consequences for the already overcrowded mainstream classes in these schools and for children with mild learning disabilities and their families.’’

He said that if the measure was introduced, children currently obtaining extra support in mainstream classes would have it withdrawn from next September.

“Despite what the Minister has said, he has made no commitments to the 119 affected schools.’’