Vol. 545 No. 3
162 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the amount of money being provided by the Down's Syndrome Association for three pre-school teachers in counties Louth and Meath; the number of teachers available for these children; the number required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30274/01]
The White Paper on early childhood education, Ready to Learn, sets out a comprehensive strategy for the development of early childhood services for all children and emphasised the particular importance of early educational intervention in the case of children with certain special needs. Following its publication, my Department undertook an extensive post-consultation process with all those who made presentations to the National Forum for Early Childhood Education. The aim of these consultations was to seek the views of interested parties with regard to the phased implementation of the policies set out in the White Paper and to enable the necessary planning and preparatory work for the implementation to be undertaken by my Department in line with the commitments in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
More recently, my Department sought and received detailed proposals from specific third level institutions on the implementation of the main proposals in the White Paper. I am pleased to say that I have recently appointed St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, and the Dublin Institute of Technology, both of which have considerable expertise in the area, to undertake a major project to develop and support the provision of quality early childhood education in pursuit of the objectives of the White Paper. The project, which will run for up to three years, will involve the establishment of a centre for early childhood development and education, which will be managed jointly by the two institutions and staffed by a suitably qualified professional team. The centre will develop quality standards in relation to the wide range of issues affecting early childhood education, including equipment and materials, staff qualifications and training, teaching and learning methodologies, curriculum, guidance for parents and related areas. It will also design and pilot measures to encourage compliance with those quality standards by early education providers.
A key function of the centre will be to examine and develop forms of early intervention and support for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and children with disabilities, building on the experience of existing programmes.
163 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Science the efforts of his Department to assist persons (details supplied) in County Dublin to secure home tuition for their special needs son. [30295/01]
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has sanctioned five hours home tuition per week for the child in question. This allocation will be increased to ten hours per week with effect from the child's third birthday if a suitable pre-school place is not available to him at that stage.
