Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Dec 1998

Vol. 497 No. 5

Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

356 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, for targeting resources for educationally disadvantaged students to ensure that those resources are utilised to their maximum potential for those for whom they are intended. [25682/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

As Minister for Education and Science I am committed to ensuring that all resources available to combat educational disadvantage are properly targeted to achieve maximum benefit for those most in need of such supports.

Traditionally, schools were selected for disadvantaged area supports on the basis of priority of need as reflected under a range of socio-economic criteria. The criteria in question, which have been agreed with the partners in education, had regard to such factors as the levels of unemployment; medical card holding and local authority housing occupancy, among the families of the pupils concerned.

More recently, following a study of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre, the criteria were broadened to take account of the educational standards achieved by the childrens' parents and to take account of families in receipt of assistance because of limited means from farm incomes.

While the above refinements have been of assistance in ensuring the accurate targeting of resources, I regard it as equally important that the growing range of special supports now being provided to combat educational disadvantage should be co-ordinated in a manner which ensures maximum benefit to the receipients.

With this in mind, I am currently reviewing my Department's overall response to the problem of educational disadvantage.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

357 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to make the applied leaving certificate accessible to students with disabilities. [25683/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

My Department makes special arrangements in the leaving certificate applied examination for candidates who would have difficulty in communicating what they know to an examiner because of a physical disability, including visual and hearing impairments, or a specific learning difficulty. These are generally in line with arrangements which have been made for many years in respect of candidates with disabilities taking the junior certificate and leaving certificate examinations.

Applications for special arrangements are made up to the Department by school authorities. These are examined individually in order to determine the specific arrangements which are appropriate in each case.

The range of special arrangements includes, inter alia, having the question paper read aloud to the candidate; Braille translations of question papers; the provision of question papers in enlarged print; recording of candidates answers on tape; dictation of answers by the candidate to a scribe; the provision of extra time; the provision for candidates to take the examination in a special room or in a hospital and special arrangements for aural and oral tests.