Parents fear cuts of special needs support in schools

PARENTS are afraid that supports for children with special needs could be under threat in the next round of Government spending cuts.

The National Parents Council — Primary has launched a campaign seeking to reverse cuts to the primary education sector announced in last October’s budget and ensure that no further impacts are felt on the system’s pupils.

“Parents who have spoken to us about special needs assistants feel they are a big factor in their children remaining in the mainstream school system and we would have huge concerns that they could be affected by the cuts coming down the line,” said NPC-P chief executive Áine Lynch.

“We appreciate that tough decisions about cuts have to be made in this economic climate but there are already huge difficulties facing our schools but primary education is the place where investment needs to be increased to start getting the country out of this situation,” said Ms Lynch.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe told the Irish Examiner on Monday that efforts were being made to avoid the same impact on services as was made in the budget, as the Government considers ways of finding another €2 billion in savings over the coming days.

The NPC-P is distributing postcards through school parent associations, Barnardos and Children’s Rights Alliance. The message on the cards, to be returned to public representatives, calls on them to ensure that primary education is protected and cuts already imposed on primary schools be reversed.

Mr O’Keeffe’s spokesperson said the minister has acknowledged the impact of funding restrictions and that while specialist grants were abolished in the budget, primary schools have been given an extra €25 per pupil to cover running costs.