West Cork Parents' Action Group to step up campaign for better education -
Southern Star, Saturday, October 2, 2005

Almost 200 people attended a public meeting in Dunmanway on Thursday night, September 22nd, including County Mayor Michael Creed, Kathleen Lynch T.D., Senator Michael McCarthy, Jim Daly, M.C.C., Tadhg O’Donovan, M.C.C., Maura Cal McCarthy, M.C.C., P.J. Sheehan, M.C.C., John Dennehy, T.D., and Ellen O’Callaghan, representing Donal Moynihan, T.D.

This meeting was organised by the West Cork Parents Action Group who are stepping up their campaign for an improved Education system for children with special needs. This huge attendance confirms what a real issue and concern the ‘General Allocation Model’ is to parents, special needs assistants and teachers alike.

Speakers on the night were Pat Curtain, National Council for Special Education; Dr. Michael Shevlin, senion lecturer Trinity College Dublin; Seamas Greene, National Parents and Siblings Alliance. The fourth speaker, Niamh Ni hAogain, was unable to attend.

Pat discusses the role of the Council which was established in 2003 and promised to deliver a better service for parents. He also added that over the following months that the Council are “To adopt a policy in each and every school for inclusive education.”

Michael gave a very vivid and realistic account on families experiences and how at this time parents feel very vulnerable. He went on to say that at a previous Dail sitting, where a particular child’s case was being discussed it was stated “Weak children will always need help, so why bother.”

All these parents want is for their children to “achieve, socialise and integrate” but as Michael Shevlin stated “ when voices are raised who has the power, who can deliver. Power and politics really underpin everything. It controls ownership and decides how research is distributed, who hears it and what happens as a result”.

Seamus Greens discusses the important role a parent plays in their child’s education. “ As parents live with the disability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, parents must become involved in the teacher/training of their child”. He also added that “Teachers need to listen to the parent about the child’s needs, parents want to help and are very capable of doing so. Teachers need to understand the child’s disability and special needs assistants need to be part of the teaching team.”

Most of the concerns raised from the floor were: The loss of one support the children previously had. The lack of communication between teachers/principals and parents. How Special Needs Assistants are totally undervalued by much of the teaching profession.

These concerns are very real issues and need to be addressed.