Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 486: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there is help or assistance available to parents whose children are availing of extra tuition in view of the fact that this tuition should be provided by her Department; if there is grant aid available for them; and the help which is available for parents whose children have dyslexia. [30854/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy will be aware of the significant initiative for allocating resource teachers that I introduced in primary schools in September 2005 to ensure that schools have the teaching resources in place to provide support teaching for all pupils with high-incidence special educational needs, including dyslexia, who may enrol in their school. My Department also provides funding to the Dyslexia Association to facilitate the operation of dyslexia workshops. This funding helps the organisation operate an information service for members and the public. In addition, part of the funding assists in meeting the costs associated with the attendance of some children from disadvantaged backgrounds at workshops and programmes organised by the association.

The Deputy may be aware that my Department has developed an information resource pack on dyslexia in CD-Rom, DVD and video format, in association with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. This product has been made available to all primary and post-primary schools. The DVD and video provides support for parents of pupils with dyslexia while the CD-Rom assists teachers who are teaching children with dyslexia in the mainstream classroom. My Department will continue to prioritise educational provision for children with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia.