It is hypocritical of this State to be hosting the Special Olympics when it regularly condones the human rights abuses of people with disabilities in this country, a conference was told at the weekend.
The general secretary designate of the INTO, Mr John Carr, said a basic hypocrisy prevailed in our affluent society about children with special needs.
"Here we are, about to be beamed into the homes of over 150 countries as we prepare to host the Special Olympics in June 2003, yet we continue to condone basic human rights abuses against people with disabilities in our own country.
"Here we are, about to commit billions of euro towards upgrading existing football stadia, or erecting a showpiece sporting bowl if necessary, so as to co-host the 2008 European Championships, yet we feel helpless as our Government drags vulnerable parents through the courts in order to uphold the Minister for Education's right to have regard to public finances when providing appropriate educational services to children with special needs."
Mr Carr was speaking at an INTO conference on special education held at the Curragh, Co Kildare.
"Here we are, enveloped in a ferocious and divisive constitutional debate on the rights of the unborn, yet we tend to ignore the many injustices perpetrated against children with special needs as governments constantly invoke the state of the public finances when faced with demands for more services from concerned parents," he said.