Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 30 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 7

Written Answers. - Teacher Service for Down's Syndrome Children.

Patrick McCartan

Question:

71 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Education, in relation to the support teaching service for children with Down's Syndrome in ordinary primary schools, whether her Department has undertaken to employ teachers with this support function in a manner similar to the services previously organised through St. Michael's House and the pupil's parents; if she will further outline the reason her Department has not yet put these teachers in place, thus denying the support service to pupils and teachers in integrated situations in national schools; whether the failure to employ such teachers to date is in breach of commitments on teacher numbers given in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, the dates on which the following stages of appointment to these jobs are now expected to take place: (a) advertisement, (b) interview, (c) selection, (d) taking up positions; and if she will further outline the steps she will take to ensure that the service to Down's Syndrome children is provided, pending the appointment of teachers to the support service.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

As part of the allocation of the additional teaching resources made available under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, it is intended to appoint six additional teachers to the visiting teacher service.

The intention is that the existing service, which currently focuses only on children with visual and hearing impairment, will be developed into a generic service embracing other clinical groups. As an initial step in this process, it is intended that the expanded service will embrace children with Down's Syndrome.

However, in order to give practical effect to this arrangement, it was necessary to secure the prior agreement of the representative body of the existing visiting teachers, since it involved an extension of their role to include Down's Syndrome children. I am happy that this agreement is now forthcoming and that arrangements for the expanded scheme can be put in place. The visiting teachers are to be complimented on these positive responses.

It is now intended that the six additional visiting teachers posts will be advertised this week and that interviews, selections and the taking up of positions will be completed as speedily as practically possible therefore.

I do not consider that commitments given in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress have been breached in relation to this matter.

Pending the filling of the posts to which I have referred, the Down's Syndrome Association of Ireland has advised me of its intention to continue to provide its service to Down's Syndrome children.