Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2016
754. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports in place for students in secondary schools who suffer from dyslexia, memory impairments and severe receptive speech issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46586/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for a range of services and supports to ensure that children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs.
All mainstream schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to cater for children with High Incidence special educational needs, including Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), of which Dyslexia is one such SLD. Pupils with severe receptive speech issues may also qualify for supplementary teaching support from within the school's general allocation of learning support/teaching support. 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.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria, as set out in Circular 0010/2013, in making recommendations for support such as computers and/or software where relevant professionals recommend the equipment as being essential for the provision of education.
The Special Educational Support Service also provides training courses for teachers of children with Dyslexia in the area of Dyslexia as well as support for in-school seminars and attendance at relevant conferences and seminars.
Further supports for children with Dyslexia in school include:- an information pack on Dyslexia for teachers and parents which has been made available to all primary and post-primary schools- reasonable accommodations in State Examinations such as the provision of a reader, use of a tape recorder or scribe, or a spelling and grammar waiver.
The provision of health supports, including Speech and Language Therapy services, is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive.
