asked the Minister for Education if he has seen a report of a survey which showed that handicapped children attending ordinary day schools had a higher rate of achievement than those at special schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I assume that the Deputy's question refers to a paper read at a recent conference of the Psychological Society of Ireland about a survey carried out in Scotland of the reading and arithmetic attainments of some 100 physically handicapped children in that country.

It is the established policy of my Department that as many physically handicapped children as possible should receive their education in ordinary day schools. This policy has been greatly facilitated by the introduction of free school transport and by the home teaching scheme under which a number of physically handicapped children attending ordinary schools receive supplemental tuition to enable them to maintain the normal rate of progress.

It must be recognised, however, that many physically handicapped children find it impossible to attend ordinary schools because of the severity of their disability and their need for constant medical and para-medical treatment. The education of these children in many cases requires specialised skills and fairly sophisticated equipment. For such children educational facilities must continue to be provided in hospitals and in special schools which are associated with clinics. Approximately 600 children are being catered for in this way—one-third of them in hospitals and the remainder in five special clinic/schools which cater for children on a day basis. In these schools medical, para-medical and teaching staff work together as a team to prepare the child for an independent life. If it is considered that a child's progress will be helped by transfer to an ordinary school every effort is made to arrange such transfer. One cannot but be appreciative of the standard of education provided in these schools and with the rate of achievement of the pupils, having regard to the limitations which their disabilities impose on them.