Róisín Garvey (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. It is great that we have set aside time in the Chamber to discuss this very important issue, and I appreciate the Minister of State giving it the time.

By definition, dyslexia is a general term for difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters or other symbols but it does not affect general intelligence, and it is important to make that clear. As a secondary school teacher for many years, I had many students who struggled with dyslexia, often undiagnosed, even at the secondary school level. The challenge for me was not that they were not going to be able to learn; the challenge was to find a way to teach so they would be able to learn. It is very important that we do not use it as an excuse for them not learning and that we find another way that works for them. There are a lot of different ways dyslexia is expressed. I had students who also had dyscalculia, which is a form of numerical dyslexia, and it is also often unrecognised or undiagnosed.

People with dyslexia are frequently very good at something else, so as well as addressing the challenge, it is very important that we also find things they are very good at because there are all forms of intelligence. We need to focus more on the point that if somebody has a challenge in one area, the chances are that he or she has lots of energy and ability in another area.

As a teacher, I struggled to find supports in order to find better ways to teach the pupils who had the challenge of dyslexia but I came across an amazing book. I would urge everybody in the House and everybody who has a child with dyslexia or is a teacher of such a child to read it. It is called The Gift of Dyslexia: Why Some of the Smartest People Can't Read...and How They Can Learn. It was a game changer for me as a teacher. It is by Ronald D. Davis and it was first published in 1994 so, luckily, it was out when I was teaching. The Gift of Dyslexiabecame an immediate bestseller and changed the face of how dyslexia is viewed and how it can be remedied worldwide. The third revised and expanded edition, published in 2010, which is the one I recommend, contains added information to help with the mental techniques for orientation and attention focus that are hallmarks of the Davis programme.

As the Minister of State noted, we do a lot more now in support of dyslexia than in the past, but I have many friends and I know many people who were undiagnosed with dyslexia and who are now adults with dyslexia. I would love to see a further education course or module designed just for adults with dyslexia to give them the supports they never got as children to see if we can help them overcome that.

As other speakers have mentioned, despite that challenge, many of them have been very successful. One of my favourites is Agatha Christie, who was a famous novelist and who managed to write several books despite her dyslexia. John Lennon, the great singer who was a total inspiration, was also a great advocate for dyslexia. There is also Whoopi Goldberg, a great actress. Recently, a friend of mine came back home from South Sudan after four years working on the front line in conflict resolution and supporting UN staff.He suffers from severe dyslexia. The key here is that what sets someone back in one way will help them shine in another. It is important we find what helps the child or adult shine despite the challenges of dyslexia.

The Department of Education provides an exemption for people with dyslexia to not have to take Irish. That does not mean we presume they do not want to learn Irish. Often it is assumed that if someone is dyslexic, he or she will not take Irish. A member of my family had to put in a good fight to be allowed sit Irish. He got a high grade in honours Irish in the leaving certificate despite dyslexia but he was strongly encouraged to not bother doing it at all. We have to be careful about these issues as well. It is not all clear.

Awareness is the first step and it is great we have this week to raise awareness about dyslexia. Of course, the second step, which is the most important step, is action. I look forward to working with the Minister of State on anything we can do to support her in her work that needs to be continued in this regard.