INTO: Special needs classes must stay

The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) has said the decision to close 128 special classes in primary schools without warning must be reversed.

The union’s general secretary, John Carr made the demand in advance of a Dáil debate on the issue called by Fine Gael this evening.

Mr Carr described the decision by the Department of Education and Science to close 128 special classes as “indefensible” and “an attack on special needs provision in the country”.

He said it was clear that special needs children were paying the price of the economic collapse.

"€7bn can be found to bail out banks,” said Mr Carr, “yet €7m cannot be found for special needs children.”

“These classes provide special education support for children in mainstream primary schools,” said Carr. “The children in these classes have been unable to cope in regular mainstream classes. They have been assessed as needing a place in one of these classes.”

He said Education Minister Batt O'Keefe now proposed to return these children to regular classes in primary schools.

“It is patent nonsense to return these children to classes in which they couldn’t cope in the first place,” said Carr. “Government must have another look at this decision.”