Cllr. John Ryan upset at latest education cut affecting primary schools
Issued : Tuesday 17 February, 2009
Councillor John Ryan has expressed concern at the announcement from the Department of Education and Science that special classes in primary schools throughout the country, including 3 in Limerick City, will be closed as part of a new cut back.
Classes with children who have, what is referred to as "mild general learning difficulties" in national schools such as Corpus Christi in Moyross and St Munchins CBS on Shelbourne Rd., are among the schools listed for cuts to make savings of €7 million towards the Dept. of Education & Science total budget of some €9 billion.
Cllr. Ryan has been in touch with his party's Spokesperson Ruairí Quinn TD, who has been opposing the move in Dáil Éireann. John Ryan has echoed Ruairí Quinn's view that it amounts to an abandonment by the Department of Education of school children with learning disabilities and is very sad that they are to be told that they will no longer be getting the support they need.
Speaking in reaction to the announcement, Cllr. Ryan said:
"These classes provide special education support for children in mainstream primary schools. Generally the children in these classes had been unable to fully benefit from the curriculum in regular mainstream classes. The special classes are part of the range of options available to children with special education needs to enable their full inclusion in mainstream primary education.
"The decision was made purely on financial grounds. The National Council for Special Education has commissioned a report on special classes. Yet before this is published the whole infrastructure is being pulled down. It is certainly not being made on educational grounds. As I have said in a letter to the Board of Management and the Parents Committees in Corpus Christi and St Munchins CBS, the Labour Party is calling for the decision to be reversed immediately pending the publication of the report and full discussions with all concerned."
"Ending vital services for these children is inexplicable, but denying them the opportunity to flourish in school is unforgivable."
