Sir, - The Government will spend £24 million implementing its information technology policy. Each school will receive a £2,000 grant plus £5 for each pupil. However, special schools will receive £3,000 and a grant of £20 for each pupil. While I welcome these proposals, once again children with disabilities in mainstream schools are being discriminated against. The child with a disability in a special school will get a grant of £20 while the same child attending a mainstream class gets £5.
This is totally unfair and shows how children with disabilities are being treated. There are over 10,000 children with disabilities in mainstream schools. They are completely ignored.
I am now calling on the Minister for Education to give all children with special needs the same grants. It's just not on in this day and age for a child with Downs Syndrome in one school getting a £20 grant while down the road in another school getting only £5. Parents and teachers are really annoyed about this complete lack of equality. Let's hope parents will not have to mount another legal case to get rights for our children. - Yours, etc., Finian McGrath,
Principal, St Mary's Place, Boys School, Dorset St, Dublin 1.