Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

Under Department of Education and Science guidelines children with learning difficulties, specifically dyslexia, are entitled to learning support. Many schools around the country, however, do not provide this facility because they are restricted by budget constraints within the Department. Consequently, children with dyslexia are not given specific hours of tuition and are not on the priority list for psychological assessment.

If a child is not on that list the parents must provide private assessment which costs upwards of €420. This is unfair and unjust. It is a scandal that parents must pay this money out of their own pockets for a service to which they are entitled under Department guidelines.

We need to examine the ignorance surrounding dyslexia. People within the administration of the educational establishment are ignorant of the needs of children with dyslexia. I call on the Minister for Education and Science to urgently emphasise the need for specific university training for primary and secondary school teachers in this area. This is a priority and there are parents around the country who will not take this any more and will no longer stand for paying these fees out of their own pockets.