Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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1020. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the eligibility requirement is for pupils with dyslexia to access technology supports at primary and post primary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47109/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The Assistive Technology Scheme is provided by my department to supplement the overall approach to providing funding to schools for digital technology and equipment to support children for education purposes. This includes children with dyslexia and others who require essential specialist equipment to access the school curriculum.

Assistive technology can be seen as a critical enabler for these children to gain the maximum benefit from a modern technologically focused education system. Where children with more complex disabilities require essential specialist equipment which they do not already have or which cannot be provided for them through the schools' existing provisions, schools may apply to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) under the terms of this scheme.

Before making an application, it must be clear that the existing I.T. equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs. Where necessary, schools can purchase new or additional equipment or software for students from normal school resources or funds.

The NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports. SENOs also make recommendations to the department where assistive technology/ specialised equipment is required. The NCSE operates within the department's criteria in making recommendations for support.

In order to qualify for equipment under the Assistive Technology Scheme, a student must have been diagnosed with a physical or communicative disability and must also have a recommendation in a professional assessment that the equipment is essential in order to allow the student to access the curriculum.

Schools make applications directly to the SENO, providing details of the student’s special educational needs or disability, including details of the approach taken by the school in making relevant interventions.

SENOs will review the application, and professional reports provided in support of same, in order to establish whether the criteria of the scheme have been met. They will then make a recommendation to the Department as to whether or not assistive technology is required; and based on this recommendation, the Department will decide on the level of grant, if any, to be provided.

The type of equipment provided under the Assistive Technology Scheme is varied, and includes audiological supports for students with hearing impairment, braille equipment for children with visual impairment, and computer equipment with associated modified software for students with physical or severe communicative disabilities.

Communication devices or medical or therapy related devices which are not specific educational interventions or equipment specifically required as essential for school educational access, and which have a general application outside of school, are not provided for under the Assistive Technology scheme, however. Such equipment is normally provided for children with disabilities by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

While the qualifying criteria for Assistive Technology support is set out in the department’s Circular 0010/2013, the Report of the Special Education Review Committee - also known as the SERC Report - and the Department’s Circular 08/02 provides the basis on which the department sets the criteria for special education supports for children with special educational needs.

Circular 08/02 has been superseded by more recent circulars with regard to the allocation of Special Education Teaching support, but the criteria in relation to the categorisation of pupils with a Specific Learning Disability, contained in Appendix II, remain unchanged, and is as follows:

“Such children have been assessed by a psychologist as:

1.    Being of average intelligence or higher; and

2.    Having a degree of learning disability specific to basic skills in reading, writing or mathematics which places them at or below the 2nd percentile on suitable, standardised, norm-referenced tests.

Children who do not meet these criteria and, who in the opinion of the psychologist, have a specific learning disability are more properly the responsibility of the remedial teacher and/or the class teacher.”

The Special Education Section is currently finalising a review of the Assistive Technology Scheme. This review will culminate in the publication of a new circular and the launch of an updated online application process.

A key objective of the review is to streamline the application process through the introduction of a new portal for schools to submit applications. Central to this review is a revised approach to eligibility criteria which aims to shift the scheme from a diagnosis-based approach and towards a needs-based approach. Under this revised approach, schools will be granted greater autonomy in determining whether a child requires assistive technology to access the curriculum. It is expected that the review will be completed later this year.