IPPN

Published: 16 February 2009

Source: Evening Herald

By: Geraldine Gittens

Monday February 16 2009

A MUM says her special needs child will suffer as educational cutbacks mean she will be moved into a mainstream class way above her standards.

Gillian Fitzpatrick, from Raheny, Dublin, is urging Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe to get the cutbacks reversed.

"My eight-year-old child Emma has had psychological assessments done, and she has the reading and writing capability of a four-year-old child," Gillian told the Herald.

Dyslexia

Emma who shows signs of ADHD, ADD, and dyslexia came on leaps and bounds after she was admitted to the special needs class in St Eithne's National School, Edenmore, 18 months ago, said her mother.

However, St Eithne's will lose its special needs class of eight pupils this June, since the minimum requirement for such a class is nine.

Emma has to be taught basic life skills, such as going to the shops and crossing the road, and Gillian fears she will fall behind if she is put into third class next September.

"I've an educational report saying that Emma wasn't coping in a mainstream school," says Gillian.

"She's come on immensely since she started the class a year and a half ago. She's started to learn spellings of words with two or three letters in them, and her behaviour has improved as well. She absolutely loves it. The teacher and assistants are brilliant with her.

"She's hysterical if she goes into somewhere new. I won't even let her play out front when she's at home."

Gillian says there are now no alternative schools she can turn to, to give Emma the attention she needs.

"There are no places available in the special needs school nearby, and she'd be put on a two year waiting list to get in there."

"She's first class standard at the moment and they're putting her in third class. The gap is huge."

Emma's teacher Eimear Heffernan said: "Any positive changes that have happened will be reversed in a matter of months. They're taking away any future these children have, and it's as serious as that."

"There's been a complete change in Emma," she added. "She used to be disruptive and push other children when she doesn't mean it."

The school's vice principal Janet Lynch said: "Morale is very low in the school now. It's going back to the last century where students will be left at the back of the class to sit quietly."

Support

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minister Batt O' Keefe said he could not comment on individual classes and schools but he added: "The schools have the resources under the general allocation model to support these pupils."

"All primary schools have been given resources to cater for children with mild general learning disability."

"Most children with a mild general learning disability are included in ordinary classes with their peers and supported by their class teacher."

Read more ...

Published: 13 February 2009

Source: Irish Independent

By John Walshe Education Editor

Friday February 13 2009

Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe was last night accused of recycling old news when he re-announced six school building projects first promised in 2006.

The official explanation given by his spokesperson was that "these projects were previously approved in principle. Today's announcement means they'll go to tender and construction this year".

But the minister's announcement prompted the INTO to ask: "How many press releases does it take to build a school?"

General secretary John Carr said that in November 2006, the then Education Minister Mary Hanafin announced that the following schools were to proceed "to tender and construction":

* Scoil Bhride, Nurney, Co Kildare.
* Barefield Mixed NS, Ennis, Co Clare.
* Inchicore National School Dublin 10
* Gaelscoil, An Duinninigh, Draighnean, Feltrim, Swords.
* St Mary's Parish Primary School, Drogheda, Co Louth.
* Scoil Naisiunta Mhuire Naofa, Enfield, Co Meath.

"Nearly three years later the current minister includes these schools in an announcement of schools to proceed to tender and construction. This is fooling nobody.

"He's better than his Green Party colleagues in government when it comes to re-using and re-cycling news."

Mr Carr said that what should be provided now was a ministerial explanation of why these schools had not been built in the meantime.

"Is it any wonder there's a slow down in construction when it takes this long to build a school," he said.

The minister said that 43 projects would provide permanent primary school places for over 9,800 pupils in 21 new schools and seven extended and refurbished schools.

At post-primary level, 5,600 students will get new permanent school accommodation in eight new schools.

A further 4,275 students in seven post-primary schools will benefit from a number of major extension and refurbishment projects.

"Five of these school building projects are being re-tendered under the new form of contracts for public capital projects to get the best value for money in the construction sector.

Tender

"The remaining 38 projects will go to tender and construction as soon as possible and it's expected that building work will begin on the majority of these projects this year," Mr O'Keeffe said.

"My officials will shortly be contacting each school about the next steps they should take," said the minister.

He pointed out that, this year, a record €656m will be invested in the school building programme.

"The more competitive environment in the construction sector will allow me to maximise the return I get for the capital resources invested in the school building programme" he said.

- John Walshe Education Editor

Read more ...

Published: 13 February 2009

Source: Fine Gael

FG Dáil Motion to reverse special ed. cutbacks

Batt O'Keeffe ignored his own experts on special education before he
decided to implement huge cutbacks this week it has emerged this morning
(Friday), Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD said.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is tasked with advising
the Minister on special education. Despite claiming that he made the
decision to cutback on special education on 'educational grounds', it has
been confirmed that Batt O'Keeffe refused to wait for a report on special
education provision from the NCSE that he had commissioned.

"This makes it crystal clear that Batt O'Keeffe made this vicious decision
for financial reasons and that claims that it was done on an 'educational
basis' are completely false.

"The NCSE, on instruction from the Department of Education, is carrying out
a review of special education provision at the moment. This review is still
being compiled and has not been published yet.

"Batt O'Keeffe suggested that the withdrawal of special needs teachers is
due to the fact that the Department is taking an 'integration approach' to
the education of children with special needs. If he asked the NCSE, the
national experts in special needs education, to compile a report on the
issue, surely he should wait until they have finished compiling it and
published it before taking such a decision. What evidence or advice does he
have aside from that of his financial advisors that this is a good idea?

"Alongside this, the Minister must clarify what consultation he had with
the NCSE prior to making his decision to cut special education classes.

"The truth of the matter is that Batt O'Keeffe viciously targeted the most
vulnerable in our education system to try and cut expenditure and then
tried to hide behind spurious educational arguments. Compare this to the
treatment of developers who lobbied Fianna Fáil for a bail-out in the form
of €500 million 'Home Choice Loan Scheme' and got exactly what they asked
for.

"This represents a new low and the decision must be reversed. I am now
calling on the Green Party to state their views on this issue and to state
if they were consulted in advance of the decision. I will be publishing a
Motion, which I will bring to the Dáil, that calls for the decision to be
reversed (see below) and urge all Deputies to support it."

Note: Fine Gael Motion follows

That Dáil Eireann demands that the Minister for Education and Science
immediately withdraws his proposal to suppress 128 special classes in
mainstream primary schools for pupils with mild general learning
disabilities from September 2009 and, given the failure of his Department
to implement the EPSEN Act 2004 and his failure to publish any educational
justification for this decision, that it now be rescinded.

- Brian Hayes, Enda Kenny and all Fine Gael Deputies

Read more ...

Published: 12 February 2009

SCHOOL
PROJECT
(*) indicates project being re-tendered
Barefield Mixed NS, Barefield, Ennis, Co Clare
Extension/refurbishment of existing school to create 16-classroom school with general purpose room and ancillary accommodation

Midleton Convent NS, Midleton, Co Cork
New 16-classroom school

Star of the Sea NS, Passage West, Co Cork
New 16-classroom school

Finn Valley College, Main St, Stranorlar, Co Donegal (*)
New school for 325 pupils

Gaelscoil an Duinninigh, Feltrim, Swords, Co Dublin
New 16-classroom school

Balbriggan Educate Together, Hamlet Lane, Moylaragh, Balbriggan, Co Dublin
New 16-classroom school

Scoil Ghráinne Community National School, Phibblestown, Dublin 15
New 24-classroom school, special needs facility and enhanced community facility

Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
Extension/refurbishment project for 1,000 pupils

Senior College, Dún Laoghaire, Eblana Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin (*)
Extension/refurbishment project for 850 pupils

Newpark Comprehensive School, Newtown Park Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin
New school for 800 pupils

Pobail Scoil Setanta, Phibblestown, Dublin 15
New school for 1,000 pupils with special needs unit and enhanced community facility

Donabate Community College, Donabate, Co Dublin
New school for 1,000 pupils and double special needs unit

Dublin 7 Educate Together, c/o St Joseph's School for the Deaf, Navan Road, Dublin 7
New 16-classroom school and special needs accommodation

Ardgillan Community College, Castlelands, Balbriggan, Co Dublin
New first-phase post-primary school for 350 pupils initially and temporary accommodation for a proposed new start-up primary school

Inchicore National School, Sarsfield Road, Dublin 10
Extension/refurbishment project to create an eight-classroom school with ancillary accommodation

Scoil Náisiúnta Áine Naofa, Ard Cloc, Straffan, Co Kildare
New 16-classroom school
Scoil Uí Fhiaich, Maynooth, Co Kildare

New 16-classroom school
Scoil Atha Í, Athy, Co Kildare
New eight-classroom school

Scoil Bhríde, Nurney, Co Kildare (*)
New eight-classroom school
Scoil na Naomh Uilig, Rickardstown, Newbridge, Co Kildare

New 16-classroom school
Scoil Bhríde, Naas Co Kildare
Major 8 classroom extension plus ancillary accommodation

Ballymahon Vocational School, Ballymahon, Co Longford
Refurbishment of existing school, for 200 pupils

Naomh Seosamh, Mell, Drogheda, Co Louth

New eight-classroom school
Le Chéile Educate Together, c/o The Grammar School, Mornington, Drogheda
New 16-classroom school
Drogheda Grammar School, Mornington Road, Drogheda, Co Louth
Major extension to expand school capacity from
175 pupils to 350 pupils
St Mary's Parish School, Dublin Road, Drogheda, Co Louth
New 36-classroom school
Wilkinstown NS, Wilkinstown, Navan, Co Meath (*)
Extension existing school to provide 2 extra classes, a General Purpose room plus other ancillary accommodation and refurbishment of existing accommodation
Scoil Eoin National School, Clonmagadden Valley,Windtown, Navan, Co Meath
New 16-classroom school
Coláiste na hInse, Laytown, Co Meath
New school for 1,000 pupils with a special needs unit
Holy Cross School, Ballycarnane, Tramore, Co Waterford
New 24-classroom school
Gaelscoil na Déise, Grace Dieu Road, Waterford

New 16-classroom school
Waterford Educate Together, Morrissions Avenue, Tycor, Waterford City

New 16-classroom school

Loch an Ghair National School, Loch an Ghair, Mullingar, Co Westmeath (*)
New six-classroom school

Gorey Educate Together, Kilnahue Lane, Carnew Road, Gorey Co Wexford
8 classroom extension, a General Purpose room, including special needs unit and other ancillary accommodation

Gaelscoil na Cruaiche, Cathair na Mart, Co Mayo
New 10-classroom school

Vocational College, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Major extension to existing school and refurbishment of existing accommodation for 775 pupils

Coláiste Choilm, O'Moore Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly
New school for 575 pupils

Scoil Choca Naofa, Kilcock, Co Kildare
11-classroom extension, general purpose room, other ancillary accommodation and refurbishment of existing accommodation

Scoil Náisiúnta Mhuire Naofa, Enfield, Co Meath
New 16-classroom school

Lacken National School, Lacken, Blessington, Co Wicklow
New three-classroom school

Ardscoil Rís, North Circular Road, Limerick
Major extension and refurbishment to for 700 pupils

Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown, Co Roscommon
Extension and refurbishment for 400 pupils

St Patrick's College, Cavan, Co Cavan
New school for 625 pupils


Projects now starting architectural planning



School
Project Type

Ennis National School, Ennis, Co Clare
New 32-classroom school

Ballygarvan NS , Ballygarvan, Co Cork
New 16-classroom school

St Francis Capuchin College, Rochestown, Co Cork
Extension/refurbishment

Carrigaline Community School, Carrigaline, Co Cork
Extension/refurbishment

Scoil Caitríona NS, Kenure, Rush, Co Dublin
Extension/refurbishment

Rush NS, Rush, Co Dublin
Extension/refurbishment

Scoil Náisiúnta Lusca, Lusk, Co Dublin
New 32-classroom school

St Patrick's Junior and Senior Schools, Corduff, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
One new 20-classroom junior and one new 16-classroom senior school

Gaelscoil Bhrian Boroimhe, Swords, Co Dublin
New 16-classroom school

Swords Educate Together NS, Applewood, Swords, Co Dublin
New 16-classroom school and special needs unit

Donabate Educate Together, Ballisk Common, off Portrane Rd, Donabate, Co Dublin
New 16-classroom school

Scoil Pádraig Naofa, St John's Lane, Athy, Co Kildare
Major extension

Scoil na Naomh Uilig, Rickardstown, Newbridge, Co Kildare
Major extension

Scoil Bhríde, Oldtown, Naas, Co Kildare
Extension/refurbishment

Scoil Bhríde NS, Knockmay, Portlaoise
New 32-classroom school

Scoil Réalt na Mara Boys, Mornington Drogheda, Co Louth
Extension/refurbishment

Scoil Réalt na Mara Girls, Mornington Drogheda, Co Louth
Extension/refurbishment

Rathmullen Junior National School, Rathmullen, Drogheda, Co Louth
Extension/refurbishment

St Paul's Senior National School, Rathmullen, Drogheda, Co Louth
Extension/refurbishment

Scoil Náisiúnta Ard Mhuire C, Ballsgrove, Drogheda, Co Louth
New 24-classroom school

St Joseph's National School, Avenue Road, Dundalk, Co Louth
Extension/refurbishment

St Paul's National School, Tankardstown, Ratoath, Co Meath
New 24-classroom school

Boyne Community College, Trim, Co Meath
New special needs unit

Scoil Náisiúnta an Cusán, Athlone, Co Westmeath
New 16-classroom school

St Patrick's Special School, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
New school for pupils with a range of special needs

Read more ...