asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that there is no obligation in law compelling parents of sightless children to have these children educated; and, if so, if he will have this matter rectified immediately.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Education of Sightless Children.
76.
The School Attendance Act, 1926 places an obligation on the parents of all children between the ages of six and 14 years to cause their children to attend a national or other suitable school unless there is a reasonable excuse for not so doing. The fact that a child is sightless could not of itself be regarded as a reasonable excuse in this connection.
Is the Minister aware that the National Institute for the Blind believes that there is no obligation on the parents of sightless children to have these children attend school? It might be a good idea if the Minister informed the House how he interprets the law in this regard.
The advice available to me is that blindness of itself is not regarded as a reasonable excuse. I am not aware of any decision in the courts on this matter, so that it is really a question of what interpretation is made at present, but the official view is that this is not sufficient excuse within the meaning of the Act.
Are there any cases on record where sightless children have been found not to be attending schools and have any prosecutions been instituted in such cases?
That is a separate question.
I am not so aware. I have made investigations and have found no record of any such cases.