Many educational professionals still have a negative attitude towards disabled students, it has been suggested.

Writing for the Irish Times, Ann Heelan, executive director of Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, claimed that some teaching staff and parents view children with disabilities as a "problem".

"Many children with disabilities are being inadvertently discriminated against in Irish schools because of attitudes and unchallenged thinking about disability," she commented.

Ms Heelan noted that youngsters with learning difficulties and physical issues can learn just as well as other children when they are provided with the right resources and encouragement.

Ignoring the talents of disabled pupils "does not make economic sense" as they tend to be deep thinkers and see the world differently to their fellow students, she added.

The Irish Examiner reported last year that an increasing number of parents are being denied grants to look after children with disabilities.

According to the newspaper, the number of refusals for financial assistance has increased threefold since the Department of Social and Family Affairs took over the administering of the scheme from the Health Service Executive.

Written by Donal Walsh

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