Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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67. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the situation where over 40 visually and audibly impaired children in the areas of Roscommon, Sligo and Donegal have been without the visiting teacher service since December 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12306/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Department provides a national visiting teacher service to support the educational development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing or who are blind or have a visual impairment. Visiting teacher support for children with hearing impairment in the areas of Roscommon, Sligo and Donegal has been affected by the short-term absence of a member of staff. Services for children with visual impairment in the region have not been affected. Arrangements are being made for other visiting teachers in the region to provide cover for hearing impairment support during the period of absence. Schools and parents of pre-school children will be notified of the revised service arrangements and contact information within the next week. Schools and parents wishing to contact the visiting teacher service should do so using the contact telephone number provided by their assigned visiting teacher. It is expected that the above arrangements will ensure the continuation of an effective service for children, parents and schools in the region.