Cllr Keith Martin says he has learned that St Brid's Special School in Castlebar is to loose 3 of its 13 Special Needs Assistants in June. St. Brid's Special National School, Castlebar, Co. Mayo caters for almost 25 children with severe/profound and moderate learning difficulties and children with autism and who require care on an almost continual basis.
This week the school has been informed, informally, that they can expect of cut of 3 Special Needs Assistants by the Department of Education.
Cllr Martin says he is disgusted by this double blow to special needs education in Mayo with cuts also threatening St Anthony's School.
"I am disgusted and appalled at the proposal for cuts at both schools and I have requested that the Labour Parliamentary Party take this issue up with the Minister in the Dail.
"Special Needs Assistants are not just class-room helpers, they are trained and experienced in their work and they cannot be withdrawn from special schools willy-nilly just to help Batt O''Keeffe and the Government balance their books"
"In the case of St Brid's school those Special Needs Assistants feed some children through tubes into their noses or stomachs, this is complicated and detailed work which cannot be done by a teacher or a volunteer. What's more some of those children require total supervision at all times from a Special Needs Assistant as they are totally dependant on others for their safety and well-being.
"This FF/Green government promised it would protect the vulnerable when dealing with the country's finances. Its seems to me that in the case of St Brid's and St Anthony's that they are specifically targeting the vulnerable as a 'soft touch' to save money.
"I want the Minister to answer this question, 'If St Brid's needed 13 Special Needs Assistants when the finances were good then how do these children require less help in a recession?'"
"The Minister must reverse this policy of cutting SNAs immediately. I am sickened and upset at this and my heart goes out to these children and their parents. Parents who are only asking that their children receive an education. Is that really too much to ask in Ireland in 2010?"
Cllr Keith Martin
086 0691182
No comments:
Post a Comment