Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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269. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 217 and 220 of 24 November 2022, the training primary school teachers receive to diagnose if a student has dyslexia or not and decide on the appropriate supports that should be provided in the case that the teacher believes the student is dyslexic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14528/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Special Educational model in schools focuses on the identification of need and the matching of specific interventions to that need. Specific interventions are therefore tailored, by the school, to the individual’s observed needs by the school, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty or disability. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of the Department encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Procedures are in place in schools to identify and support pupils who have additional needs. This process is called the Continuum of Support and is managed by schools. Therefore, it is not necessary for a pupil to have a diagnosis of any particular difficulty to access necessary interventions and supports.

Where teachers continue to have concerns about pupils, following a period of sustained intervention in the school setting, the involvement of NEPS may be deemed appropriate. NEPS is a school-based service that works with key personnel from a school. Psychologists meet with the school Principal and/or the Special Education Teaching Team (SET Team) to review and plan how they may support individual pupils based on the schools priority needs. This process allows schools to be responsive and to prioritise those pupils identified by them as having the highest level of need.

Teachers have access to new guidance documents for primary and post-primary schools on Supporting Students with Literacy Difficulties/Dyslexia Using the Continuum of Support. This guidance equips schools with knowledge of approaches and strategies required to support students who experience difficulties with literacy including dyslexia, using a response to intervention approach, in all school contexts: English medium schools; Gaeltacht schools; and Irish medium schools.

Training is currently being provided by NEPS nationally for all schools, at primary and post-primary levels, facilitated by local Educational Centres, on evidence informed approaches and strategies to support students with literacy difficulties including dyslexia, using the Continuum of Support approach.