Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 4

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

John Perry

Question:

143 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; the steps he has taken to address the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23517/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

I am now in receipt of the correspondence to which the Deputy refers.

Regarding the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill, it is my intention that the definition of disability in section 1 of the Bill will cover dyslexia and that children with dyslexia will enjoy the protections conferred by the Bill, once it becomes law. I believe the concerns, which have been expressed to me, can be accommodated in this legislation.

It is open to special needs candidates to apply to have a part of an examination waived and to be marked out of 100% on the balance. A candidate being exempted from part of an examination experiences no disadvantage and has the opportunity to achieve full marks and the highest grade in the subject concerned. Where a candidate has been granted a waiver on the assessment of a particular element of an examination this means that the candidate is in fact being exempted from core elements of the examination. While other candidates may lose marks in being assessed in those particular elements of the examination, the candidate who has sought the waiver has in reality sought an exemption from those elements and does not lose marks.

The use of an explanatory note in these circumstances allows for the variation of examinations to meet the special needs of candidates. It arises only in those limited cases where a candidate is marked or examined under a different set of criteria to the general body of candidates. An explanatory note does not apply for other subjects where the particular skill itself is not under assessment and it is confined to a factual narrow statement on the assessment issues rather than a reference to the nature of the arrangement or the special needs of the candidate.