Brian O'Shea
Question:266 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the resource teacher service which will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3275/03]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
My Department has received an application for resource teaching support for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. All applications for such support received in my Department by close of business on Friday, 14 February 2003, will be treated as applications for the last school term and will be responded to in the week commencing Monday, 7 April 2003.
Responsibility for the provision of speech and language therapy services rests with the relevant health board.
Michael Ring
Question:267 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be provided with Braille text books, past examination papers in Braille for the past four years and the full time use of a lap-top computer considering that this person currently has no Braille text books or past papers and will be using a lap-top in examinations in four months' time; and the reason these have not been provided to this person. [3286/03]
My Department has recently approved a grant for the purchase of computer equipment for the use of the pupil in question; a letter conveying this decision was issued to the school on 3 February 2003. My Department provides funding to the National Brailling Centre for the brailling of text books. I understand that the majority of textbooks have been provided in Braille version. The visiting teacher service has indicated that one of the books has been scanned onto computer and that the other is available on tape. A Braille version of all examination papers for the past two years has been made available to the pupil.