Bernard Allen
Question:194 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education if he will appoint one resource teacher immediately to deal with the seven children who have Down's Syndrome attending primary schools in Cork city.
Written Answers. - Resource Teacher Allocations.
Bernard Allen
Question:195 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education if he will sanction the appointment of peripatetic resource teachers to cater for the needs of Down's Syndrome children who are attending their local national schools.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together.
As part of the distribution of new teaching posts under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress in the school-year 1991-92, six special resource teachers were allocated to groups of schools which have handicapped children, including Down's Syndrome children, in ordinary cases. The role of the resource teacher is to act in support of ordinary teaching staff in addressing the special needs of these children. It is not at present proposed to assign an additional teacher specifically for the seven pupils referred to.
A further development which is currently being pursued and which is of direct relevance to Down's Syndrome children is the expansion of the Visiting Teacher Service. Already, six additional teachers have been appointed to this service and arrangements are currently being made for a further two appointments. The intention is that these additional teachers together with those of the existing service who currently focus children with visual and hearing impairment, will form the basis for a generic service embracing other clinical groups. Initially, it is intended that the expanded service will embrace children with Down's Syndrome as well as the hearing and visually impaired.
This expanded service will continue to encompass the necessary level of specialist expertise to enable it to deal successfully with the range of disabilities involved and arrangements for its operation are currently being put in place.