Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Jun 2001

Vol. 537 No. 5

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

98 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science the reasons for the long delay in establishing the advisory committee on deaf education; if he is now in a position to provide details of the members and the committee's terms of reference; the number of representatives of the deaf community who will be on the committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17133/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has recently written to a range of bodies involved in the area of deaf education inviting them to put forward nominees to participate in the work of the advisory committee on the education of the hearing impaired.

It is intended that the committee will be comprised of representatives of the following: the special schools for the deaf, the National Association for the Deaf, the Irish Deaf Society, the Catholic Institute for the Deaf, the Visiting Teacher Service, the teacher unions, the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education, and the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children.

The proposed terms of reference of the advisory committee have regard to the following: the responsibility of the State to make adequate educational provision for students with hearing impairment; the distinct educational needs of certain students with hearing impairment; the particular importance of early educational intervention in the case of children with hearing impairment; to the range of special educational support services currently made available to students with hearing impairment in special dedicated facilities and in integrated settings; and the desirability of ensuring that services made available to students with hearing impairment are appropriate to their evolving needs.

The Advisory Committee on the Education of the Hearing Impaired will: review the adequacy of the current range of educational support services available to students with hearing impairment; identify and prioritise areas of service provision which require development or adjustment; bring forward such proposals as are considered appropriate in order to ensure the development and delivery of an appropriate, effective and efficient education support service for students with hearing impairment.