18 Jun 2019, 11:47
The Joint Committee on Public Petitions will hear from National Autism Charity, AsIAm tomorrow, Wednesday, 19 June on a call for mandatory training for teachers on the needs of children with spectrum disorders.
Officials from the Department of Education and Skills will also discuss the issue at the Committee meeting, which takes place in Committee Room 1, Leinster House at 1.30p.m.
The Committee is considering Petition No. P00011/18, which contends that mandatory training for all teachers on the various elements of spectrum disorders - including Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Dyspraxia, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Sensory Processing Disorder - does not take place at present.
The petitioner contends, there is a lack of understanding among mainstream teachers about spectrum disorders which is having a detrimental effect on confidence, self-esteem and feeling of self-worth of the children concerned.
A petition, (No. P00024/19) calling for an immediate end to all badger culling and the implementation of a TB vaccination programme for badgers is also before the Joint Committee on Public Petitions tomorrow.
One person has lodged two petitions. One (No. P00016/19) calls for non-European spouses of Irish citizens to be able to travel to Ireland visa-free on short stay visits. The second, Petition No. P00030/19 calls for an end to “the obligation to surrender six months of bank transactions” when applying for an Irish visa.
Furthermore, Petition No. P00015-19 calls for British Nationals who currently living in Ireland and married to Irish citizens for more than five years, to be granted Irish citizenship.
Committee chairman, Seán Sherlock TD said: “The Committee’s role is to give members of the public the opportunity to place issues of concern directly before the Oireachtas and to influence changes in public policy where appropriate.
“We will give these petitions our full consideration before announcing, in public session, the decision on each one.”
The meeting can be viewed live here.