Remarks by President Higgins during visit to Liscarroll National School
Liscarroll, Co. Cork, 15th November 2013
I am very pleased to have this opportunity to be here today at Liscarroll National School.
I would like to thank Anne Maria Bourke for her kind invitation and all of you for that generous welcome.
Ba speisialta an díol suime dom bhur gcuireadh ós rud é gur thagair sé go sonrach do thrí rang do pháistí faoi Autism, ar cuid an–tábhachtach iad de Scoil Náisiúnta Lios Cearúil agus ar ranganna iad a bhfuil sibh an-bhródúil go deo astu go bhfios dom.
[Your invitation was of especial interest to me as it specifically referenced the three classes for children with Autism which form such an important part of Liscarroll National School and of which I know you are all very proud indeed.]
As President of Ireland I have spoken, on many occasions, of the importance of building an active and inclusive citizenship where everyone receives the opportunity to participate at every level and in every way. And of course a truly inclusive citizenship is one which invites citizens of all ages to make their own imaginative and practical contribution to the shaping of our shared future. It is a concept which should begin within our school gates, allowing all of the nation’s children to grow and develop in the confidence that they are appreciated, understood, equal to their peers and possessed of talents, skills and qualities which are of benefit to their community and to their society.
Regrettably, there was a time when that right was not always fully understood and recognized by the Irish education system; a time when the pressure was solely on the child and its parents to ‘fit in’ with a system designed to suit the needs of some, but not of all, children within its care. Those children who were unable to respond to such a system were very often lost within it; their potential left unrealized and their possibilities unappreciated and undeveloped. Indeed, there are many adults who, today, still recall their school days as a time when they felt excluded, inferior, bewildered and misunderstood; a time of lost opportunities for both themselves and for the school community which failed to benefit from the promise and capabilities which were not allowed in so many cases to develop and flourish.
Thankfully, today we live in more enlightened times; times when we recognize the importance of flexible, responsive learning environments which will benefit all the different children for which they cater. We understand the importance of our schools being true communities which welcome and include diversity in its many forms; and which do not segregate and exclude citizens simply because they are different or because they face specific challenges in life.
Liscarroll National School is a true embodiment of such a welcoming community,
a school that recognizes that a true community is one where every individual is allowed a voice and where every member is treated with dignity and respect. Three years ago, the ASD Unit at this school was officially opened, comprising a state of the art facility which would enable best practices in teaching and supporting students with ASD. It was a proud day for this school, a day when you truly demonstrated your commitment to supporting the students of the unit and ensuring their integration into the wider school community.
It was also a tangible reminder of how fortunate the students here are and of how much they benefit from the strong tradition whereby their school expends huge time, effort and commitment in the service of students’ holistic educational needs and to furthering the goals implicit in the ethos of the school.
Liscarroll National School could not, of course, be the great school it is without the teaching staff who are so dedicated to their pupils and who are always willing to go that extra mile in order that your school days can be as fulfilling and enjoyable as possible.
So I would like to mention them here today and thank them for all that they do to fully nurture and support each and every one of the pupils in their care.
It is clear that Liscarroll National School is a place that fully understands and acts on the principle that all of its pupils are equally important and that all of them should have the opportunity to achieve their full potential – to be the very best they can be, whether that’s at lessons, or sport, or art, or music, or being a good leader or a helpful team member or a loyal friend or all of the other things we can do to make our contribution to the school and to our community; and to our wider society.
And of course, like all good schools Liscarroll National School is not only important to its staff and pupils but also to the community that surrounds it. I know the school is integral to the spirit of community that exists here, just as for the pupils the great spirit of citizenship and active participation that exists within Liscarroll and its surrounding areas is of huge support to them and to their school.
There can be no doubt that children on the autistic spectrum, and their families, face specific challenges, challenges which should not be under estimated. There can equally be no doubt that accommodating and understanding the individual needs of each child can be an enormous challenge for schools, for teachers and for care staff. It is therefore of vital importance that school communities are able to respond creatively to diversity, and to genuinely welcome pupils with diverse and different needs into their classrooms and playgrounds and into all the activities that are part of everyday school life. It is also important that the pupils of a school grow up with an awareness that diversity or difference does not equate with lack of ability or lack of capacity to contribute to the life and the objectives of the school. It is only when this occurs that all children can be provided with every opportunity to develop and to realize their full potential.
Liscarroll National School is a fine example of what can be achieved through vision, through collaboration, through team work and, most of all, through dedication and a drive to ensure that all pupils are cherished. I know that the School is fully playing its part in embracing an agenda of inclusion and equality. Under the leadership of Principal Anna Marie, the teachers, Special Educational Needs Assistants and indeed all staff, a warm and welcoming hand is extended to pupils from all over the community, stretching from Newcastlewest in
Co. Limerick to the greater Liscarroll, Mallow, and Charleville area.
Mar chríoch, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil libh, uair amháin eile, as an bhfáilte mhór a chuir sibh romham anseo inniu. Ba mhaith liom gach rath a ghuí ar na páistí i gcaitheamh a laethanta scoile agus tá mé cinnte go bhfaighidh said timpeallacht anseo a thabharfaidh an deis dóibh iad féin a fhorbairt feadh a n-acmhainn agus a theacht faoi bhláth laistigh dá bpobail agus dá sochaí féin amach anseo.
[I would like to conclude by thanking you, once again, for the great welcome you have extended to me here today. I would like to wish all of the pupils here every success throughout their schooldays and I am confident that they will find here an environment that will allow them to reach their potential and to flourish within their communities and their society in future days.]
Is iontach an obair atá ar siúl agaibh anseo. Go n-éirí go geal libh sna blianta atáromhainn ‘s go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.