Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Mar 1996

Vol. 463 No. 1

Written Answers. - Exemption from Irish.

Batt O'Keeffe

Question:

90 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that under the current scheme for exempting students from study of Irish at post primary level, pupils with a mental handicap, pupils with average ability and pupils with above average ability, may be exempted from the study of Irish if diagnosed with a specific learning disability; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that in contrast, pupils who are slow learners, representing a significant proportion of the school population, cannot be granted exemptions irrespective of learning disabilities in acquisition of basic literary skills; the reason for this inequity; and the plans, if any, she has to enable slow learners to be on par with other categories of pupils. [5852/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The revised syllabuses in Irish are intended to ensure that the full range of pupil ability and aptitude is catered for. Nevertheless, provision exists in rule 46 of the "Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools" for exemption from Irish in limited special circumstances. The rule provides that pupils may be allowed to substitute any other subject from the list of approved subjects for Irish in the following circumstances. inter alia: pupils who function intellectually at average or above average level but have a specific learning disability of such a degree of severity that they fail to achieve expected levels of attainment in basic language skills in the mother tongue; pupils who have been assessed as having a general learning impairment due to serious intellectual impairment (i.e. mental handicap) and are also failing to attain adequate levels in basic language skills in the mother tongue; pupils who have been assessed as having a general learning disability due to serious sensory impairment and are also failing to attain adequate levels in basic language skills in the mother tongue.

Written evidence of the disability must be furnished by a qualified psychologist and the Department has issued guidelines to assist in this regard.

I am concerned to ensure that the scope of the rule is sufficiently broad to accommodate situations where, as a result of disability, genuine difficulties are encountered in the study of Irish.