Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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249. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the visiting teacher service; if the service is under review; the proposed changes that are included; the level of involvement with parents and teachers in the relevant schools during the review; and if consultation will be engaged in before the findings of the review are made. [3639/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the Visiting Teacher Service for children with Visual and Hearing Impairment provides assistance for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and children who are blind or visually impaired.

In May 2013 the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) brought forward policy advice which recommended that the service should be reviewed. Accordingly, an independent review of this service is currently being conducted line with the NCSE recommendations.

The review is being conducted by two independent reviewers who are tasked with reviewing the role and function of the Visiting Teacher Service in accordance with the Terms of Reference of the Review, which are available on my Department's website, with a view to the making recommendations for consideration to my Department.

The reviewers have met and consulted with members of the Visiting Teacher service and with a broad range of individuals as well as statutory and non-statutory organisations who are involved in the education of children who are blind or visually impaired and children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Parents, children, teachers and other interested parties can contribute to the review by making a submission and/ or by answering a questionnaire which is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. Submissions and responses to questionnaires are managed by the independent reviewers. The deadline for making submissions and responding to questionnaires has been extended to 31 January 2013.

It would not be appropriate for me to anticipate the outcome of this review in advance of its publication. I am informed that the review will be concluded by the middle of March 2014.