Vol. 514 No. 4
189 Ms Cooper-Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Science the funding, if any, available to assist parents of special needs children in learning teaching methods to enable them assist their children at home, such as a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [4447/00]
The needs of pupils such as those referred to by the Deputy are generally capable of being met within the ordinary school system, with the support where necessary, of the remedial or resource teacher service. Both of these services have been significantly expanded in the current school year. The remedial service is now available in all schools with a pupil teacher ratio of 10:1 or more. The resource teacher service is now available on an automatic basis to any child in the primary system who has been assessed as requiring such support.
For some children, the severity of their condition can be such that placement in a special school or in a special class attached to an ordinary school is the required response. At present, there are four such special schools and 16 special classes catering for children with specific learning disability, including dyslexia. All these facilities operate at a reduced pupil teacher ratio of 11:1 and pupils attending these facilities attract an enhanced level of capitation funding.
Children with special needs, including those with dyslexia, can also qualify for funding for special equipment where the need for such support has been established.
My Department does not provide direct funding to individual parents to assist them in learning teaching methods to enable them to assist their children at home. The resources available to my Department are generally targeted towards school based supports for children with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia.
However, in addition to the range of in-school supports made available to children with dyslexia, my Department supports the out of school programmes which the Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities provides for children with dyslexia and their parents. In the current year, my Department is allocating £50,000 to support the work of the association.
I will arrange to have my Department's inspectorate examine the needs of the children to which the Deputy refers to ensure that adequate educational provision is made available to them.
