Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 March 2014
66. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the Down's Syndrome (Equality of Access) Bill; if barriers have emerged regarding its implementations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14544/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Government did not oppose the Private Members Down Syndrome (Equality of Access) Bill 2013, at second stage. This Bill has been referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection, where it can be considered in the context of forthcoming proposals to establish a new model for the allocation of resource teaching supports in mainstream schools. I wish to advise the Deputy also that the report published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs recommended that under a proposed new allocation model, all children, including those with Down syndrome, should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category.
The NCSE also recommended that, in the short-term, pupils with Down syndrome in the Mild General Learning Disability category should continue to be supported by schools' Learning Support allocation in the same way as other pupils with a Mild GLD. An NCSE Working Group has been charged with developing proposals for a new allocation model. Any changes to the current allocation model will therefore be considered in the light of the recommendations of the report of this Group.
