Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students with visual impairments who study Irish at primary level and at second level; the number with visual impairments who study Irish at junior cycle and senior cycle at second level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10888/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that all children with visual impairment who are attending mainstream primary or post primary schools study Irish, in accordance with normal criteria, unless they have been granted an exemption from Irish study.

Exemptions from Irish are granted in line with the specified criteria provided under my Departments Circular 12/96 for primary schools and Circular M10/94 for post-primary schools. Included among the categories of students who may make an application for exemption from Irish are students with special educational needs who have been assessed as having a general learning disability due to serious sensory impairment, and are also failing to attain adequate levels in basic language skills in the mother tongue.

My Department provides additional resources to schools to support children who have been assessed as having a level of blindness or visual impairment to the extent that it is categorised as a disability, and where they also have consequential learning support or care needs. However, this does not include all students who may have some level of visual impairment. It is therefore not possible to advise how many pupils with visual impairment are studying Irish in Primary or Post Primary schools.