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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 2

Written Answers - Adult Education.

Monica Barnes

Ceist:

60 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will clarify the Government's commitments to lifelong learning; and if he will clarify entitlement therein as regards to persons with learning disabilities. [12285/01]

The White Paper on Adult Education entitled Learning for Life sets out a range of recommendations to promote and expand access to adult education in the context of a continuum of educational opportunities on a lifelong basis. The recommendations cover the principles which should underpin the service, implementation of a national adult literacy strategy, expansion of part-time options in further education through a back to education initiative, improved opportunities for adult participation in third level education, the enhancement of supporting services such as guidance, counselling and child care, and the establishment of a national adult learning council and local adult learning boards for improved co-ordination, integration and planning, nationally and locally. The recommendations will be implemented on a phased basis in the light of the resources provided in the national development plan and in the Estimates.

In relation to people with learning disabilities, the paper sets out a range of recommendations regarding the integration of people with disabilities into adult and continuing education, principally related to disability awareness training, cultural relevance, dialogue with disability interests, sharing of best practice and the provision of additional supports such as adaptive technology and care assistance. The paper also recommends that the national adult learning council should employ an access officer to promote and develop this area, and should establish an advisory committee to report on the integration of people with physical and learning disabilities into adult education and to monitor progress in this area.

In relation to specialist provision, the recent re-organisation of services in this area was designed to ensure that FÁS would assume responsibility for advice, guidance, and training services in relation to vocational-employment skills at a variety of levels, and that the health boards would continue to provide advice, guidance and services in regard to rehabilitative type foundation and life skills training which is pre-vocational in nature and community workshops or other sheltered or supported work options. My Department also funds the delivery of tuition in literacy and numeracy to persons attending a network of vocational training centres operated by the health authorities.

The National Adult Literacy Agency published guidelines in 1999 regarding provision of adult literacy for people with learning disabilities. The guidelines centre on targeting, staff development, linkages with disability agencies and practical skills to be developed. A range of adult and community basic education programmes is provided by vocational education committees, working with disability groups and agencies, funded through the adult literacy and community education budget.

A recent study carried out by the Association of Higher Education Access and Disability showed that of the 850 students in third level education identified as having a disability more than half, or 463, were identified as having a specific learning difficulty or neurological difficulty.

The 10% quota limiting access by people with disabilities to the vocational training opportunity scheme was removed in 1998 and some 8% of all participants in VTOS are persons in receipt of a disability payment from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. However, provision in the adult education area is under developed and it is intended that the issue will be progressed further in the context of the implementation of the White Paper strategy.
Children with disabilities in the four to 18 age group have access to a range of special support services. Where the disabilities are of a more serious nature the children can be catered for in a range of special schools, each of which is dedicated to a particular disability group. Such children can also be catered for in special classes attached to ordinary schools.
Children with less serious needs can be catered for in ordinary classes on an integrated basis with the support of the resource teacher and special needs assistant services. Arising from a Government decision of October 1998 all children with disabilities in primary schools now have an automatic entitlement to a response to their needs. As a result of this decision the number of resource teachers supporting children with disabilities in primary schools has grown from 104 in October 1998 to almost 800 and the number of special needs assistants supporting children with special needs in primary schools has grown from less than 300 to almost 1,800.
These developments represent an unprecedented improvement in the support available to children with disabilities in primary schools and additional resources are being deployed on an ongoing basis.
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