Vol. 222 No. 13
asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to the reported statement of the manager of Daingean Reformatory referring to the injustice of sending some boys to the reformatory where facilities are not adequate to cope with the intake of boys; and if he proposes to take any action in the matter.
51.
asked the Minister for Education whether his attention has been drawn to the reported statement of the manager of Daingean Reformatory that about 50 per cent of the boys in Daingean are mentally retarded; and that the management of the school have expressed their concern over the lack of facilities to deal with them; and whether he proposes to meet this serious problem.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 51 together.
I have seen the newspaper reports referred to and should perhaps mention that the phrase there reported to have been used by the Reverend Manager was "below normal intelligence," not "mentally retarded."
Some time ago I had a discussion with the authorities concerned, in the course of which they agreed, at my request, to submit to me a comprehensive list of the improvements they would suggest for the school.
Since then they have submitted the list. The improvements they have suggested are at present under active consideration in my Department.
Do the improvements include extra staff to look after these below normal intelligent children?
They do. They are concerned with a number of aspects but primarily with what seems to me to be the most important—adequate remedial teaching. Many of the boys are illiterate and it seems to me this is the most urgent requirement.
Would the Minister consider consulting the Minister for Justice to see that court sentences do not include sending boys to this school while these difficulties exist and are admitted by the management to exist?
That is another question.
Could the Minister say if the management have the services of the psychiatrist attached to his Department—if the services of this psychiatrist have been made available or are they to be made available to these schools?
No, they have not been made available heretofore to this school. The order concerned have got a psychiatrist. They have had his services available during the past four years and he has done valuable work in assessing new entries and has improved considerably on that aspect of the work of the school.
