Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 724: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children at primary school level experiencing reading difficulties in mild, moderate or severe form; the number experiencing such difficulty between 1998 and 2004. [22501/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Terms such as "mild", "moderate" or "severe" reading difficulties are not defined in Irish research literature on reading attainment, in comparable international research literature or by my Department. In the absence of an operational definition of these terms, it is difficult to give a precise estimate of the number of pupils who might fall into these categories. It is crucial is that there is a system in place for identifying pupils who are experiencing reading difficulties relative to their peers and that supports can be allocated to them.

The system used in primary schools for identifying pupils with literacy difficulties is to use a cut-off point of the tenth percentile on a standardised test in combination with teachers' professional judgments and to allocate learning support to those pupils who function at or below that level. It is generally accepted that the tenth percentile would identify the pupils to whom the Deputy refers. At any given time there are 40,000 to 45,000 pupils in primary schools who perform at this level and their needs are catered for in the first instance by class teachers with assistance from learning support and resource teachers, as required. International comparisons of achievement are not available in relation to pupils at primary level. However, the results of the programme of international student assessment, PISA, provide detailed information on the standards of reading literacy among Irish five year olds. In the 2003 survey, Ireland ranked sixth in reading out of the 29 OECD countries. The percentage of Irish students whose performance in reading was at the lowest level of proficiency, below level 1, was 2.7%. The corresponding OECD average was 6.7%. This indicates that the proportion of students with serious reading difficulties in Ireland is less than half that of the OECD average. The results of the PISA survey conducted in 2000 provide similar evidence with regard to the prevalence of reading difficulties of this nature among Irish 15 year olds.