Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993

Vol. 435 No. 10

Written Answers. - Retention of Downs Syndrome Pupil.

Liam Burke

Question:

23 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will guarantee that a person (details supplied), who has Downs Syndrome and is currently attending a mainstream primary school, will be guaranteed retention at the school in question in 1994-95 and for the remainder of primary schooling and that the additional resources required for her integration into mainstream schooling will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Jim Higgins

Question:

26 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she will guarantee that a person (details supplied), who has Downs Syndrome and is currently attending a mainstream primary school, will be guaranteed retention at the school in question in 1994-95 and for the remainder of primary schooling and that the additional resources required for her integration into mainstream schooling will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Frank Crowley

Question:

70 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Education if she will guarantee that a person (details supplied), who has Downs Syndrome and is currently attending a mainstream primary school, will be guaranteed retention at the school in question in 1994-95 and for the remainder of primary schooling and that the additional resources required for her integration into mainstream schooling will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 26 and 70 together.

The retention of individual pupils in national schools is a matter for the board of management in each case and, accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me as Minister to give any guarantee in this regard.

I would, however, be seriously concerned at any suggestion that a pupil who is capable of benefiting from receiving an education in an integrated setting might be denied access because of a disability.

Where children suffering from a disability, including Downs Syndrome, are integrated into mainstream schools, a range of support services is provided.

In some cases, the service of a remedial teacher is sufficient and there are currently 1,033 such teachers in place. In other cases, the support of a visiting teacher or a resource teacher may be an appropriate response.

As the Deputies may be aware, my Department appointed an additional eight teachers to the Visiting Teacher Service in 1992 as part of a development aimed at extending the role of that service to embrace Downs Syndrome children. Arrangements for the delivery of this extended service are now in place and the initial concerntration will be on those children specifically identified by the Downs Syndrome Association as requiring the service. The intention is that this expanded service will embrace as many additional children as possible having regard to the case loads of the visiting teachers concerned.

In certain situations, the alternative of allocating resource teachers to support ordinary teaching staff in dealing with handicapped children is pursued. Already, seven such appointments have been made and I expect to announce some further appointments in the near future.

I can assure the Deputies that the needs of the child in question will be taken fully into account in the context of these developments. I should also mention that the special education review committee, whose report I have just recently received, has produced a range of detailed recommendations on future services for children with special needs, including those attending mainstream schools.

I will be giving consideration to these recommendations as part of an overall review of services in the special needs area. I should also mention that I am holding a special seminar on 6 December next to facilitate a full debate on future services for special needs children.