Emmet Stagg
Question:137 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science when the recommendations of the task force on dyslexia will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27996/03]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
The report of the task force on dyslexia contains more than 60 individual recommendations ranging across a wide variety of issues from identification and assessment to models of service delivery, specialist training for service providers to issues relating to structural reforms. Since the task force reported, a number of initiatives have been taken in the area of dyslexia. These include the introduction of the first ever on-line training course for teachers catering for pupils with dyslexia; the appointment of ten new learning support trainers to the primary curriculum support programme specifically to provide in-depth support for the implementation of learning support guidelines for children with dyslexia; and a reduction from 11:1 to 9:1 in the pupil teacher ratio applicable to special classes catering for children with dyslexia.
In addition to the above measures, a key focus of my Department has been on advancing the fundamental structural and legislative measures which are necessary to underpin the development and delivery of services for persons with special needs, including children with dyslexia. A key development on the structural front has been the Government's decision to approve the establishment of the National Council for Special Education.
The national council, which will have a local area presence, will play a key role in the development and delivery of services for persons with special needs, including children with dyslexia. It will have a research and advisory role and will establish expert groups to consider specific areas of special needs provision. It will also establish a consultative forum to facilitate inputs from the education partners and other interested parties. Arrangements for the establishment of the council are now well advanced. A chief executive has been appointed, the Oireachtas has approved an order establishing the council and the recruitment of council staff is in hand.
I will also bring forward legislation, based on the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill 2002, aimed at establishing the rights and entitlements of persons with special needs, including dyslexia, to an appropriate education service and providing the necessary framework for effective service delivery. My objective is to secure the passage of this legislation through the Oireachtas as quickly as possible.
Tony Gregory
Question:138 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education and Science the supports made available to a national school (details supplied) in Dublin 7 for children with dyslexia; if additional supports are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27997/03]
All children in the primary school system who have been assessed as having special educational needs, including children with dyslexia, have an automatic entitlement to a response to their needs, irrespective of their level of need or location. The nature and level of the support provided is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child.
Children with dyslexia are generally catered for on an integrated basis in ordinary primary schools where they can be supported by the learning support teacher service or the resource teacher service. At present, there are more than 2,300 resource teachers and 1,531 learning support teachers in the primary school system. The school referred to by the Deputy currently has two full-time resource teaching posts and a learning support teaching post.
My Department also provides funding to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment, such as computers, to assist children with special needs with their education, including children with dyslexia, where recommended by relevant professionals.