Michael Ring
Ceist:541 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the special educational programme in place for children with Down's Syndrome; and the special funding available to meet their needs. [12422/00]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
Michael Ring
Ceist:542 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to upgrade the educational facilities provided to children with Down's Syndrome in order that they can be taught more on a one-to-one basis. [12423/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 541 and 542 together.
Children with Down's Syndrome have access to a range of special education services. The precise nature of the response provided is determined by the level of need involved in each individual case.
In some situations, particularly where the condition is mild in nature, the child's parents may wish that he/she attend an ordinary school on a fully integrated basis. As a result of a Government decision of October 1998, all children with special needs within the primary system, including children with Down's Syndrome, now have an automatic entitlement to the support they require to enable them to gain maximum benefit from the education system. The support in question may take the form of extra resource teacher support or child care support, or both, depending on the particular needs involved. Already, as a result of this development, the number of resource teachers deployed in the primary system has increased from 104 to 329. The number of special needs assistants helping such children has increased from 295 to 937. Further such resources will continue to be allocated as required by special needs children.
In some situations, the needs of the child can be such that placement in a special school or a special class attached to an ordinary school may be the most appropriate response. My Department provides a range of such facilities all of which operate at significantly reduced pupil teacher ratios and receive special increased levels of capitation funding.
The need to provide 1:1 tuition would only arise in exceptional cases involving very serious levels of special need. All such cases are dealt with on an individual basis.
Louis J. Belton
Ceist:543 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Education and Science when a senior language unit will be put in place at St. Joseph's national school, Longford, in view of the fact that the Midland Health Board has been allocated the funding for the necessary speech and language service in Longford. [12424/00]
The establishment of a senior special class for pupils with specific speech and language disorders in the school referred to by the Deputy is under active consideration at present.
The Deputy will appreciate that the establishment of any such class is based on assessed need as confirmed by up-to-date psychological and speech therapy reports. Such classes also require the availability of a speech therapy service provided by the relevant health authority.
Officials of my Department will be meeting next week with the management of the school in question and representatives of the health board regarding the needs of pupils with specific speech and language disorders in the area. The question of establishing a senior special class in the school in question and the availability of speech therapy services for pupils attending such a class will be considered in this context.