Vol. 413 No. 7
109 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if she will outline (1) the degree to which school medical examinations are now carried out and (2) the number of such examinations a child can expect to receive during his/her school life; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Where possible, national school health examinations are carried out on the following basis: a comprehensive medical examination of all new entrants to national schools; a selective medical examination of children in the nine to ten years age group; and examination of other children selected on the basis of information furnished about them by their parents, teachers, nurses and other interested parties.
The scheme is structured in a manner that ensures as far as possible that every child is examined at least once and, on the basis of random checking at nine to ten years of age twice or more in some cases.
In 1989, the latest figures available to my Department indicate that over 21 per cent of the national school population was examined.
110 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if she will outline (1) the number of schools in County Kildare which have had school medical examinations in the past four years, (2) those which have received more than one such examination, (3) those which have received none (4) the number of children recommended for dental, including orthodontic treatment following examination and (5) the number who have received the treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
There has been a significant improvement in the number of school visits in County Kildare in the last two years. The statistics for the years 1987 to 1990 are shown in the following tabular statement:
|
Year |
No. of schools visited |
Total number of schools in County Kildare |
|
1987 |
56 |
89 |
|
1988 |
31 |
89 |
|
1989 |
91 |
91 |
|
1990 |
90 |
92 |
