David Cullinane Motion 151
Published: 1 March, 2008
Cllr David Cullinane will speak in favour of motion 151 calling for increased resources for the Educational Physiological Service Agency in the 26 Counties. He is also calling on the Government to support the application by Waterford Institute of Technology for University designation.
Text of speech:
"In February 2005 Sinn Féin tabled a Dáil motion calling on the Irish Government to fulfil its responsibilities and provide the necessary financial, infrastructural and human resources needed to vindicate the rights of children with special educational needs.
Three years down the road we have seen little improvement or action by the Government. It is disgraceful that families are forced to seek redress through the courts for the state's failure to meet the educational needs of their children.
I have nothing but admiration for those parents and I have nothing but contempt for a Government that allows this shameful situation to continue.
Our responsibility as a nation is to educate all of our children in well-resourced and funded schools, schools that can cater for those with special needs, schools that are adequately staffed, schools in which children are not cold and overcrowded.
We are calling on the Government to implement its own policies. This means the additional 650 teachers needed to implement the programme of improved education for persons with special needs identified by the Government.
The waiting times for assessment by educational psychologists are a disgrace. We need increased resources for the National Psychological Service Agency including employment of more educational psychologists and an expansion of this service to all schools to ensure that children are assessed as soon as is possible.
I support the concept of children with special needs being integrated into mainstream education where this is appropriate. However where there is a need for a special needs school it must be provided.
I have worked closely with the Board of Management of the Waterford ABA School who encountered horrendous problems in trying to provide an education for autistic children in Waterford. This is no way to treat our children and when it comes to special needs education the state does not cherish all of its children equally.
University for the Southeast:
I want to take this opportunity to welcome the publication of the Port Report into Waterford Institute of Technology's University Application. I see this as a step forward in the campaign for a University of the Southeast.
The acceptance of the 'academic maturity' of WIT is hugely significant. Equally significant is the acceptance in the report of the importance of University status to the economy of the region.
In essence the report puts Waterford IT on a par with Universities in Ireland and abroad and vindicates the arguments put forward by University campaigners.
The application for University status by WIT must be dealt with on its merits and its merits alone. There is no place for either parochial or university politics in the decision making process. This is about constructive regional development and equality of opportunity for the 460,000 people who live in the Southeast.
It is a disgrace that the Southeast region is without a University. It is a disgrace that the Government is dragging its heels on this issue.
This campaign is unstoppable and the people of the Southeast will not rest until the Southeast has a University.
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