David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 357 of 29 April 2008, the training and qualification requirements for people to be employed as visiting teachers for the visually impaired; the number of visually impaired pupils for whom the 13 visiting teachers who are employed by his Department cater; the number who have requested such a service; his plans to extend this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17444/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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To be employed in my Department's Visiting Teacher Service for the Hearing and Visually Impaired, a visiting teacher for the visually impaired (VTVI) must be a fully qualified primary or post-primary teacher, must be recognised by, and registered with the Teaching Council and must have fulfilled the requirements of probation or its equivalent. If qualified outside Ireland, the teacher must be recognised by the Teaching Council as qualified to teach in special education settings. In addition, the visiting teacher must have at least two years satisfactory teaching service in a mainstream class or in a special school or special class setting.

In the recruitment process, priority may be given to applicants who have acquired, or are in the process of acquiring, the Diploma for Teachers of the Visually Impaired or the Diploma in Special Education or equivalent. New appointees undergo induction, training, mentoring and probation. Continuous professional development is an integral part of the Visiting Teacher services and a teacher will be expected to commit to further training where necessary. In that regard, visiting teachers for the visually impaired are facilitated in attending appropriate training courses in their specialist field.

For the school year 2007/2008, the 13 VTVIs employed by my Department provide a service commensurate with individual need to more than 880 children and young people. Of these, 361 are pupils in primary schools, 228 are second-level students and 191 are in special education settings. The service also works with pre-school children and their families and provides guidance, where necessary, to a small number of third-level students.

The service responds to referrals from parents or schools, or through Eye Clinics, the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) or the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Referrals, together with relevant assessment reports, are processed through the appropriate Regional Office of the Department of Education and Science. There are no plans at present to expand the service.