29 October 2008

Rights of Children with Special Needs further Diminished in Budget 2009 – Inclusion Ireland

Delays in implementing education legislation for children with special needs is a seriously retrograde step that will have a major impact on their development says Inclusion Ireland. Bigger class sizes will also mean less attention for children with special needs.

Inclusion Ireland CEO Deirdre Carroll says:

“It is very regrettable that there will be further delays in rolling out the Education for Special Educational Needs Act 2004* (EPSEN). This is a very important piece of legislation that gives children with special needs the right to attend mainstream schools with appropriate supports. It is another part of the Government’s much lauded Disability Strategy being put on the long finger. Inclusion Ireland has repeatedly called for funding for people with a disability to be ringfenced.

“EPSEN also allows for Individual Education Plans. Individual Education Plans allow for appropriate, focused education supports to be put in place. Children with special needs may regress significantly if intervention is not made from an early stage.

“Just 18 months ago in the 2007 Programme for Government we were told that EPSEN would be completely rolled out. Now we are being told that not only is EPSEN being halted, but class sizes are set to get bigger. Bigger class sizes mean less attention for children with special needs. Yet another retrograde step.”

The National Council for Special Education set up by EPSEN, was charged with drawing up a plan for implementing EPSEN. This plan was sent to the Department of Education in 2006 and set out the resources needed, and a timetable for all sections of the Act to be completed by 2010. To date there has been no response from the Department of Education.

ENDS