asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers of the deaf attached to his Department, the number of children in the care of each teacher and if he intends to improve the situation.
Written Answers. - Teachers of the Hearing Impaired.
321.
At present 163 teachers of the hearing impaired are employed—141 in the four special schools for the hearing impaired and 22 in the visiting teacher service.
In the schools, the overall pupil-teacher ratio is rather less than 6:1 and no improvement is considered necessary. The average number of children visited by each visiting teacher is 45.
The Committee on the Education of Children with Impaired Hearing, which reported in 1972, thought it likely that 20 visiting teachers would be required, on the basis that each teacher could serve an area with a population of about 25,000 primary school children. The present number of 22 teachers takes account of the increase in the pupil population in the meantime.
322.
asked the Minister for Education the reason a child (details supplied) in Dublin is without a specialised teacher for the deaf from his Department and when this child will be given special speech training again.
The specialist teacher who visited this child was injured in a car accident in December last and is still absent on sick leave. Pending her return to duty, arrangements have been made for another teacher to visit the child's home and provide appropriate advice and guidance.