Vol. 516 No. 2
21 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals, if any, he has to assist children with learning difficulties in view of his promise when he assumed office; and if he will give details of these proposals. [7241/00]
It is my intention that all children with learning difficulties shall have access to the necessary support services to enable them to gain maximum benefit from the education system.
Depending on the level of learning difficulty involved, the needs of such children may be capable of being met within the ordinary school system, with the support of the remedial or resource teacher services. Since September last, the remedial teacher service has been extended to all first and second level schools in the country. A total of 1,465 remedial teachers are now in place in the primary system and a further 560 are in place in the second level system. This service should now be available to all children who require such support.
In addition, all children with special needs, including specific learning difficulties, within the primary system are now entitled to an automatic response to their needs. The response, may take the form of special resource teacher support or child care support, or both, depending on the assessed needs of the individual child. Already, as a result of the introduction of this automatic entitlement, the number of resource teachers in the primary system has grown from 104 to 329 and the number of child care assistants has grown from 299 to 937. A further 239 resource teachers are in place in the second level system. The process of allocating additional resource teacher and child care support is continuing and it is my intention that my Department should respond to requests for such support in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
Where a child's learning difficulties are of a more acute nature, the child may require placement in one of the range of special schools or special classes which are provided to deliver dedicated support services to groups of children with particular learning needs. All such facilities now operate at the significantly reduced pupil teacher ratios recommended by the special education review committee. They also receive special increased rates of capitation funding.
