Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 7

Written Answers. - Visiting Teacher Service.

Mary Wallace

Question:

87 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Education the current status of the Dublin Integration Pilot Project; the number of children assisted by each teacher; the contact hours for each child during an average week; the employment status of the teachers; the efforts, if any, she has made to assess the operation of the pilot project; the future plans, if any, she has for specific support for integration; and the number of meetings she has personally had in respect of this issue. [10578/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I understand that the Deputy is referring to the visiting teacher service which was expanded in 1992 to cover additional categories of special needs children attending ordinary primary schools. Under this expansion arrangement, an additional eight visiting teachers were allocated to the service, bringing the total number of teachers in the service to 38.

Two of these additional teachers were allocated to the Dublin area, one to the north side of the city and one to the south side. Both of these teachers were charged with adopting a particular focus on the needs of Down's syndrome children attending school on an integrated basis in their areas.

I understand that the teacher appointed to the south side of the city supports 13 special needs children and that the contact time for each child is between one and two hours per week. Corresponding details relating to the teacher on the north side of the city are not readily available. However, I will arrange to forward this information to the Deputy as soon as possible. It will of course be appreciated that contact times can vary depending on the case-load of individual teachers and the evolving needs of particular children. Teachers in the visiting teacher service are employed by my Department on a permanent basis.

The operation of the visiting teacher service is reviewed on a regular basis by my Department's primary inspectorate. Since my appointment as Minister for Education, I have attached a high priority to improving the quality and level of support services available to children with special educational needs, including those who are integrated in mainstream schools. Substantial progress has been achieved in this area. Measures which I have introduced include: the appointment of an additional 241 remedial teachers at primary level bringing the total now in place nationwide to 1,188 and the appointment of an additional 29 resource teachers in ordinary primary schools bringing the total number of resource teachers to 36.

The remedial and resources teachers are a key support service for pupils with special needs who have been integrated into ordinary schools.

The measures set out in the White Paper in relation to special needs pupils are intended to refine and develop the current range of responses. A key objective will be to ensure that all children with special education needs will have access to the necessary range of support services in their own areas. This includes the support of special needs children in mainstream schools.

Over the past three years I have met with a wide variety of organisations which represent people with disabilities, including the Down's Syndrome Association of Ireland and the Donegal Down's Syndrome Association. I have also held a number of meetings, both formal and informal, with organisations which,inter alia, include people with disabilities. Therefore, it is not possible to give an absolute number of organisations or meetings.