Vol. 475 No. 4
195 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Education her views on the lack of continuing integrated second-level education for children with Down's Syndrome; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties of parents in securing second-level places for their children, even where these children have integrated very well at primary school level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4876/97]
196 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to allocate visiting special teachers for second-level pupils with Down's Syndrome; her views on whether pupils who make it to second-level education are in need of a specialist service rather than being included in the general category of pupils with certain disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4877/97]
197 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Education the proposals, if any, she has to encourage publicly funded second-level schools to take pupils with Down's Syndrome, particularly where such pupils have integrated very well at primary school level; the powers, if any, available to her to compel schools to take such pupils as a condition of their involvement in the free education scheme; the powers, if any, available to censure schools which refuse to take such pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4878/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 195, 196 and 197 together.
The White Paper on Education, Charting our Education Future, sets out the Government's policy for the provision of suitable education services for pupils with a disability, in either special educational facilities or in an integrated environment. The fundamental objective of the commitment in the White Paper is to ensure to the maximum possible extent that all children with disabilities will have access to suitably resourced education services in their own area and within the ordinary school system. The degree to which integration can be achieved will depend on the specific and evolving capacities of the individual children concerned.
Where the special education needs of pupils with Down's Syndrome are capable of being met within the ordinary school system, this is taken into account in deciding on an appropriate allocation of additional part-time hours for the school in question.
198 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Education if she intends to increase the number of visiting special teachers for primary level pupils with Down's Syndrome from the total of two such teachers in the Dublin area which has remained constant since the introduction of those teachers in 1992; her views on whether pupils with Down's Syndrome are in need of a specialist service rather than being included in the general category of pupils with certain disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4879/97]
I recently announced my decision to allocate an additional two posts to the visiting teacher service. This brings the number of teachers in the service to forty.
At present, three visiting teachers provide a support service to Down's Syndrome children in the Dublin area. I have no plans at present to further expand this service.
I would point out that the visiting teacher service is just one of a range of support services available to children with special needs, including children with Down's Syndrome.
In many instances, children with Down's Syndrome are capable of being catered for in the ordinary school setting with the assistance, where necessary, of remedial teachers, resource teachers or visiting teachers.
At present, a total of 1,188 remedial teachers and 46 resource teachers are in place in the primary system. This includes 241 remedial teachers and 39 resource teachers who have been appointed since I took office.
