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Minister slammed over autism unit comments

Thursday, 06 March 2008

STAFF at Castleknock’s Educate Together NS were left reeling last week following the Minister for Education’s suggestion that the school was denying an education to special needs children.
The Minister was speaking in relation to the school’s new autistic unit, which has been sitting idle for almost a year because of a long-running battle for appropriate resources.
While the unit is built and ready to be used, the school is refusing to open it until it gets funding for additional therapies it says are vital to providing proper care for pupils.
Speaking to RTE news, Minister Hanafin said the school should open regardless of the resources.
“Why would you refuse a child with intellectual difficulties access to an education because of therapies?” she questioned.
“A child’s education and that of the six children who could be in this class should not be denied.”
However, Deputy Principal Lucy Keaveney described the scathing criticism as ‘immoral and pointless’.
“I mean to blame us? That comment did nothing to advance or improve the situation for the children who really need this facility,” she told Northside People.
“We are powerless. We want to open the unit but we want to open it with the services we are entitled to.
“You wouldn’t open a cardiac unit with just one doctor and a nurse, a whole team is required.”
Ms Keaveney revealed that the school’s board of management is still standing firm on its position not to open the unit unless the necessary services are provided.
“Although the teachers have received some training they are not qualified behavioural, occupational and language therapists,” she said.
“If we opened up with what we’ve got we would be liable for all sorts of litigation problems and the teachers would quickly burn out.
“We are being very cautious and careful that we operate this unit well.”
The Irish Primary Principal Network (IPPN) has come out in support of the Dublin 15 school.
“The Minister for Education is applying unfair pressure on the Principal and Board of Management of the school to open the unit when essential services are not in place,” an IPPN spokesperson said.
“The school has acted responsibly by insisting that the special unit for autism in their school be professionally resourced prior to the enrolment of children.
“Pressurising schools to open autism units prematurely is sending out a message that children with autism can make do with less than a full service.”
The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) is also backing the school’s decision.
“The fact of the matter is that government has not provided the required supports,” John Carr, INTO General Secretary said.
“The school highlighted this, not to apportion blame but to beg for resources for children with autism.
“If the Minister wants to blame anyone she should blame her cabinet colleagues, whose broken promises have failed children.”
He concluded: “Demanding that a school provide specialist services without the required supports is like asking an airport to operate without air traffic controllers or fire crews.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Education told Northside People that it is working to resolve the issue.
“The Department understands that children in the D15 area are attending other schools and are receiving services,” it was stated.
“However, it would be preferable that the school that is local to these children open to provide for them, rather than having children bussed to other locations.
“The Minister is working with the Minister for Health and Children to try to overcome issues which are delaying the provision of therapies in the school.”
Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny visited the school last week with local TD Leo Varadkar.
“The Special Unit is beautifully designed and constructed and is fully equipped,” he said.
“It is immoral not to have it opened for the purpose for which it is intended.
“If this matter is not resolved by next week, I will be raising the matter again in the Dáil.
“Any Government that finds itself unable to deal with a problem like this is truly in a state of paralysis and this is yet another example of the mockery it makes of cherishing all the children of the nation equally.”

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