February 25 2009

Parliamentary Questions

• Delay in ratification of UN Convention
• Document outlining vision of National Disability Strategy
• Restoration of special needs classes

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Delay in ratification of UN Convention

Deputy Michael D. Higgins (L): asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the delay in the ratification of the UN Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities; if, further to a previous question on the matter, it has been indicated to him when such ratification will be possible;

Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Deputy John Moloney): The position remains that it is the Government’s intention to ratify the UN Conventionon the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as quickly as possible, taking into account theneed to ensure that all necessary requirements under the Convention are being met.The Inter-Departmental Committee established in the Department of Justice, Equality andLaw Reform, to advise on and monitor the legislative and administrative actions required toenable the State to ratify the Convention, has developed a work programme that is beingactively addressed by Government Departments. The Mental Capacity Bill —the responsibilityof the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform — is at present being drafted byParliamentary Counsel and forms an important part of what is required to ratify the Convention.Ireland was in the first group of countries to sign, subject to ratification, the Convention.There will be no undue delay in the State’s ratification of the Convention.

• Document outlining vision of National Disability Strategy

Deputy David Stanton (FG): asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 17 of 18 December 2008, if the strategic document outlining the vision, mission and objectives of the national disability strategy as detailed in Towards 2016 has been finalised since the beginning of 2009; if not, when he expects it to be finalised and published;

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): Following necessary consultation, work on the Strategic Document outlining the vision, mission and objectives of the National Disability Strategy is in the process of being finalised. The document will, in line with the commitment in T2016, be published as soon as possible.

• Restoration of special needs classes

Deputy Mary Upton (L): asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has proposals to restore classes for those mild general learning disability students who would be affected by his recent announcement to remove some of those classes; if he has plans to meet with teachers from those schools affected by his recent decision to consider options to restore such classes;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): I wish to advise the Deputy that all primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to enable them support pupils with high incidence special educational needs including mild general learning disability (MGLD). All primary schools were given these additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model of learning support/resource teaching introduced in 2005. Schools can decide how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils. Most pupils with a MGLD are included in ordinary classes with their peers and are supported by their class teacher. The curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities. The Deputy will be aware that allocations to schools typically increase or decrease depending on pupil enrolment. In the case of classes for MGLD the normal pupil teacher ratio that applies is 11:1. My Department however allows for a small reduction in this number and permits schools to retain a teaching post where it has a minimum of 9 pupils in the class. In the schools in question, the number of pupils dropped below this minimum. These schools therefore are no longer entitled to the teaching posts in these classes. In 2005 when the General Allocation Model was introduced, schools with additional teachers in classes for MGLD were allowed to retain the teachers for these classes. Effectively, these schools received a double allocation. The number of these special classes has decreased over the years and schools have integrated the children into age-appropriate mainstream classes. All of the other primary schools in the country who do not have classes for children with MGLD cater for these pupils from within the General Allocation Model.

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