Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I am raising an interesting issue that has come to light recently. I am asking the Minister for Education and Skills to recognise inequities that are arising for Galway second level students where both dyslexia and a language exemption co-exist. This problem is particularly affecting girls. It seems from a survey that has been done - I can read out the names of the schools involved - that no girls school in Galway allows these students to access six subjects in the leaving certificate examination in order that they can achieve the maximum number of points in that examination. I am seeking a solution to this problem, which was first brought to my attention by a family living in Corrandulla, a small rural village approximately ten miles outside Galway city. A daughter in this family was diagnosed with dyslexia and giftedness in 2009. She got As and Bs in her junior certificate. She is a high performer in State examinations. She was exempted from Irish and foreign languages from first year onwards. She did her best to learn French, but the complexity of her dyslexia in that area made it impossible for her to do so.

This student's school has informed her that she will still be able to get her six subjects for her leaving certificate. When the language choices are excluded, however, six subjects are not available to her. She can do English and mathematics. She cannot do Irish, French and German because they are the areas from which her dyslexia exempts her. She has tried her best to learn them, but she is unable to do so. She can do three other subjects in the science area, in which she excels. That brings her up to five. She can also do the leaving certificate vocational programme, but the maximum number of points one can get from that programme is 70. This means the maximum number of points that this gifted kid can get in her leaving certificate is 570. I have met her and her family. She is looking to achieve 100%, which is 600 points plus the bonus points for mathematics, if necessary. No school in Galway will offer her that opportunity. When she did a survey, she found that the only school in Galway which offers leaving certificate students the option of doing six subjects without having to do a language to achieve maximum points is St. Jarlath's College in Tuam. As it is a boys school, obviously she cannot go there.

This issue applies to this child and to other children. Her options do not fit with the criteria required for universities in this country. She cannot access six subjects with an opportunity to get 100 points in each. When members of her family queried this problem with the principal in her school, she was told she would sit in study for the spare classes and she would have to finance a tutor to do the extra subject privately. They came across the same issue when they approached other schools. Most of the schools approached make their students take a foreign language at pass level, which allows them to access a maximum of 60 points for that subject, or facilitate them in taking an additional subject privately. This child is being home tutored at the moment. I want to keep stressing that she is a gifted high achiever. She does not see the point in sitting out so many classes in school. She is getting help at home at the moment, but it is not an ideal situation.

A comprehensive survey was done of Presentation College in Tuam; St. Jarlath's College in Tuam, which is the boys school I mentioned; the Mercy Secondary School in Tuam; McHale College in Tuam; Presentation College in Headford; Calasanctius College in Oranmore; the Jesuit school in Galway; St. Enda's College in Galway; Salerno Secondary School in Galway; Taylor's Hill college in Galway; the Presentation Secondary School in Galway; Mercy College in Galway, St. Mary's College in Galway; St. Joseph's College in Galway; Presentation College Athenry; and Athenry VEC. The only one of those schools that offers this opportunity to its students is a boys school. Consequently, the conclusion to be reached is that girls with dyslexia are not treated fairly or equally. There is no equity when it comes to the availability of six subjects at leaving certificate level, which would enable students to try to get maximum points. The leaving certificate vocational programme is available but, as I have said, it does not allow her to get more than 70 points. I would like to come to the solution. It was said to me quite recently that the problem is that an increasing number of children are getting a diagnosis that allows them to be exempted from languages.This is causing a knock-on effect, and schools that have experienced a cut in resources have not realised the implications this has on students' entry to third level because they think the LCVP will cover the gap. The solution is that one school in a central location such as Galway city should be assigned to offer additional subject for children with dyslexia who are exempted from languages. That is the best solution, because otherwise there is not equal access for all children, particularly girls. There is only one school in County Galway which is based in Tuam, that can meet this gap. It is St. Jarlath's, which is an all-boys' school. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.