This article is from page 8 of the 2013-07-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
CLARE Labour TD, Michael McNamara, has defended the actions of Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn (Lab), who last week reversed his decision to cut to the number of special needs resource teachers in primary school saying “his hands were tied” in deciding to introduce the cuts.
Despite more than 100 people turning out in Ennis last week to protest against cuts to education for children with special needs in Clare, the East Clare deputy said that Minister Quinn’s u-turn was “a good decision” and welcomed a promised review of special needs resources.
Five hundred new resource teaching posts will be created in September to cope with the increasing number of children with special needs entering the primary schools system.
There is, however, no allocation for extra special needs assistants (SNA) – with reports that some SNA’s in larger Clare schools are now assigned four students in dif- ferent classes at the same time.
“This is a good decision for special education.
“I am delighted that Ruairí Quinn has secured Cabinet agreement to release 500 additional teaching posts to schools in September,” said Deputy McNamara.
“Like the Minister, I regret if the parents of special needs children had gone through anguish as a result of last week’s announcement.
“To be fair to the Minister, his hands are tied by budgetary allocations.
“However, we will have to find a better way to manage these extremely sensitive situations.
“Coping with the alarming rise in the demand for special resource, teaching will cost money.
“I welcome the review which will be set up as to why the rise in demand for special needs resources is much greater than rise in school population.”
It has also emerged that the cost of providing the extra 500 special needs resource teachers may result in an increase in the overall student teacher ratio at certain primary schools.