Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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347. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students taught Braille by the Visiting Teacher Service in each of the past ten years, broken down by primary and post-primary level and by year of education, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35387/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Education and Youth provides an extensive range of supports to assist pupils who are Blind or who have a Visual Impairment. The Department's policy, which is provided for under Section 2 of the Education of Persons with Special Needs Act 2004, aims to ensure all children with special educational needs access appropriate education intervention in mainstream settings where possible.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. The visiting teacher service for the visually impaired forms part of the NCSE support service for schools, and visiting teachers are now recruited, deployed and managed by the NCSE. Currently there are 16 full time visiting teacher posts, and two associate posts allocated across the NCSE’s regions. The visiting teachers are supported by teams of professionals and agencies such as ophthalmology services, speech and language therapists, low vision specialists, psychologists, early intervention teams and school staff. The associates are experienced VTBVI who work on a part-time basis with the NCSE.

In the 2024/25 school year, there were 79 students in the school system who were users of braille. Of these 79 students, approximately 29 were partial braille users or dual-users of braille and text. St. Joseph’s School for the Blind in Drumcondra currently has 4 pre-braille users and 5 braille users. In September 2025, the school will have 7 new braille users starting to bring the total of braille users to 16.

The information relating to the provision of braille over the past ten years is held by individual visiting teachers who are now on summer holidays. The information will be provided at the earliest possible opportunity following their return to work in late August.

It is my priority that all of the resources and supports for children who are braille users are provided when they are needed, and we will continue to engage with NCSE and the relevant stakeholders on the provision of these supports.