Vol. 495 No. 1
399 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science if there are any restrictions on students with a disability who are pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree or other courses which would lead to qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19330/98]
In the case of the Bachelor of Education degree and the graduate diploma courses for primary teaching, entrants to a college of education are required to complete a health declaration for submission to the relevant college's medical officer. The medical officer must be satisfied with the information on the health declaration. On graduation, the students are again required to complete a similar health declaration before they can be appointed to a post in a national school. When completing those health declarations, students are informed that my Department and the colleges of education are committed to a policy of taking a modern approach to health and disability issues.
In the case of entry to the Bachelor of Education degree in home economics, each candidate must pass a medical examination before being admitted to the course. Again, a policy of taking a modern approach to health and disability is followed. In the case of post primary teachers, a satisfactory medical report must be submitted prior to appointment in the case of persons applying to enter a salaried teaching post for the first time or reapplying following a break in service. The purpose of the medical report is to assess whether the applicant has a reasonable prospect of giving regular, continuous and efficient service and of being in a position to afford a proper duty of care to the pupils.
No medical requirement exists for students entering the Higher Diploma in Education courses. The physical education course in the University of Limerick requires students to achieve a satisfactory standard in a mobility ability test.
