AN Inishowen election
candidate has welcomed the decision to allow a bill
go through to Dáil committee stage that would see
more teaching hours for children with Down's
Syndrome.
Primary school principal Albert Doherty, who is
standing for Sinn Féin, said Deputy Finian McGrath's
bill would allow Down's Syndrome to be added to the
list of disabilities for which individual resource
teaching hours is automatically provided.
This is regardless of a child's level of learning
disability or whether the child has another
disability. Mr Doherty paid tribute to Deputy
McGrath's "Trojan efforts".
"The parents of Ireland who have campaigned for
supports and rights for their children and of course
the efforts of Down's Syndrome Ireland merit special
praise at this time.
"Government decisions in the past deserved criticism
in relation to this campaign and it is only fair on
this occasion to welcome and support the Cabinet
decision to allow the bill to proceed to the
committee stage .
"The full allocation of resource teaching hours for
pupils with special disabilities must be restored
and an increasing enrolment of pupils at primary
levels necessitates the removal by Government of the
'ceiling' on appointments of Special Needs
Assistants," added Carn-based Mr Doherty, a former
Independent FF councillor. |
