Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 October 2015
101. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in primary and post-primary schools, respectively, who have been diagnosed with dyslexia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35879/15]
View answerAll mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model (GAM) to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs, including Specific Learning Disability (SLD), of which dyslexia is one such SLD. All Post Primary schools have also been allocated additional teaching resources for pupils with high incidence special educational needs, including SLDs.
It is a matter for individual schools to use their professional judgment to identify pupils who will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils. Schools are supported in this regard by the National Educational Psychological Services.
In addition, my Department provides funding for a number of special schools and special classes attached to mainstream primary schools which have been sanctioned to meet the needs of children with SLDs. There are 4 Special Schools and 12 Special Classes attached to mainstream Primary schools catering for pupils with SLD.
As the allocation of support for pupils with SLDs is managed locally by schools, my Department does not hold details of the number of students with dyslexia receiving support locally, as schools are not required to apply directly to my Department for learning support for SLDs such as dyslexia. However, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) report on Supporting Students Special Educational Needs in Schools sets out that 0.5% of the student population in Ireland is estimated to have an SLD.
