The Taoiseach and Tanaiste were last night urged to meet representatives of people with disabilities in a bid to prepare a Disabilities Bill. A meeting of several hundred people in Limerick was told that a report from the Commission on People with Disabilities in 1996 had recommended that a Disabilities Bill should be implemented but nothing had happened since then. The meeting followed the decision of the Supreme Court not to guarantee continuing primary education rights for Jamie Sinnott.
Irish Independent, Dublin, August 2 2001.

Two Ulster mums today claimed that their autistic sons have been barred from local summer schemes. Cian McFarland (9) and Tray Slavik (5) have both been prevented from attending separate schemes running over the school holidays. Cian’s mother said: ‘Cian has been left out and rejected and we have not been told why.’ The South Eastern Board declined to comment on individual cases.
Belfast Telegraph, August 3, 2001.

More than 2,000 people have backed a petition urging Leicester City Council to keep special schools open. Parents have accused the authority of trying to close the schools through the back door by deliberately cutting the numbers of children taught in them. The Council has denied the claims and insists it has no plans to close any of the nine special schools in the city. The Government requires all education authorities to look at ways of including more children with special needs in mainstream schools.
Leicester Mercury, August 21, 2001.

Adele Waterfall-Brown, the first youngster with severe sight problems to attend a mainstream school in Darlington, was today anxiously collecting the results of her nine GCSEs. Looking back on her school life, Adele said she was lucky to have attended Hummersknott School. ‘I think it is great because it gives the choice of mixing with kids who have not got disabilities and it builds your confidence. The head of Hummersknott, David Henderson, said the school now had a unit for the visually impaired and accepted its first totally blind student two years ago. ‘Before Adele, we had pupils with physical disabilities but not those who were visually impaired. Adele blossomed during her time here and has blazed a trail in a sense. It’s a remarkable achievement.’
Northern Echo, Darlington, August 23, 2001.

Maresa MacKeith is a bright, able 16-year-old who has just landed a string of As and Bs at GCSE. Like thousands of other teenage girls she was celebrating yesterday – by going out clothes shopping with a friend. And like thousands of others, next month she will start A-levels at College to continue her studies. Unlike most teenagers however, Maresa has had a long and difficult road to exam success. She was born with cerebral palsy and cannot write, talk or walk. The brain condition means she is confined to a wheelchair and has limited control of her movements. The 16-year-old communicates by pointing to a specially designed message board which includes all the letters of the alphabet along with common words and phrases. A facilitator helps Maresa to use the message board and interpret what she is saying. At exam time they were joined by a scribe who transcribed all Maresa’s answers in six subjects. Maresa started at Ellis Guildford Comprehensive in Old Basford at the age of 14, after five years of fighting by her mother, Caroline, for a full-time place in a mainstream school.
Nottingham Evening Post, August 24, 2001.

If teachers decide not to take school trips, they will have to be extremely careful about their reasons to avoid criticism or formal claims for damages. Teachers who refuse to offer school trips are in danger of receiving claims of failure to educate and if they refuse to take a pupil on the grounds of ill health or disability they could face claims under the Disability Discrimination Act. There is a difficult balance to be struck and underwriters should not be seen to discourage appropriately and safely organised school trips.
Post Magazine (Insurance Weekly), August 30, 2001.