This morning I wish to raise the issue of access to resource teaching hours for children with Down's syndrome. Down's syndrome is by its nature complex and affects intellectual ability, speech, language, hearing, memory, vision, motor skills and general health. As I am sure the Tánaiste understands, Down's syndrome seriously affects a child's ability to engage with the school curriculum. The rate in Ireland is one in every 546 births. That means that about 120 children are born with Down's syndrome each year, and approximately 80 begin mainstream primary education.

Down's syndrome is by definition a complex low-incidence disorder, yet, remarkably, it is not one of the 11 low-incidence disabilities that qualify for resource teaching hours. Prior to 2005, all children with Down's syndrome received resource teaching hours, but since then children with Down's syndrome who have IQ scores in the mild range of learning disability have not qualified for specifically allocated resource teaching hours.

This is an important issue that affects no more than about 24 to 30 children each year. It could be easily resolved by simply adding Down's syndrome to the list of low-incidence disabilities. It is a small number of children but the kind of support that would be afforded to those children could literally transform their lives and learning experiences. What does the Tánaiste plan to do to address this issue? Will he speak with the Minister for Education and Skills and is he prepared to come back to the Dáil with a proposal to address unfair discrimination against a group of children with Down's syndrome?

I know that Down Syndrome Ireland organised a briefing in Leinster House earlier this week for Members at which it made the case that Down's syndrome should be regarded as a disability in its own right and that children with Down's syndrome should qualify automatically for additional resource hours and assistance in the education system. I was unable to attend the briefing but have received a report on it. The Minister for Education and Skills is already addressing the issues that were raised in the briefing. He has asked the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to provide expert independent and evidence-informed policy on the education of children and others with disabilities. This will include the issue of whether Down's syndrome should be reclassified as a low-incidence disability in all instances regardless of assessed cognitive ability.

This advice from the NCSE on how the education system can best support children with special educational needs is expected to be published in the coming weeks. I do not think we should pre-empt what that expert advice will be because the NCSE is an organisation with the greatest expertise in this area and has been asked to consider this policy issue. I assure the Deputy and the House that the Government is very conscious that meeting students' educational needs is a paramount consideration and must be kept at the centre of any proposals and recommendations. As the Deputy is aware, the Government continues to spend €1.3 billion each year supporting the education of children with special needs. We are committed to continuing to explore how best to improve their experiences and educational outcomes. We have heard the case that has been made by Down Syndrome Ireland and, as I have said, the Minister is already addressing the issues that have been raised.

I am sure the central concern for all of us is to ensure that all our children have the best educational opportunities and supports. I am sure the Tánaiste will agree with me that in the case of a child with a disability - for these purposes, Down's syndrome - our duty is all the greater because the need of the child is greater. I am glad to hear that the Minister will have a report on the general issue of children with disabilities and how supports for them are provided, but this is a very specific instance. Until 2005, each child with Down's syndrome was in receipt of teaching resource supports. Since then, a group of those children with Down's syndrome has been denied that very basic support.

I fully appreciate that policy must be based on evidence and expertise but I put it to the Tánaiste that Down Syndrome Ireland has considerable expertise in this area and that until 2005, the State recognised that each child with Down's syndrome required resource support. It was wrong for the previous Administration to withdraw that and it is essential for this Administration to put things right. It affects a very small number of children but should the Government do the right thing, it would make a significant difference to those children and families. Will the Tánaiste let us know at what stage he or the Minister for Education and Skills proposes to deal with this specific issue and to reassure all of us in the Dáil that these resource hours will be afforded to every child with Down's syndrome?

As I said earlier, we have heard the case made by Down Syndrome Ireland. As the Deputy said, this organisation does know what it is talking about from experience, and we take that very seriously. I was unable to attend the briefing but received a report from my parliamentary colleagues who did attend. We are addressing it. I repeat that the assessment being carried out by the NCSE will include the issue of whether Down's syndrome should be reclassified as a low-incidence disability in all instances regardless of assessed cognitive ability. The case made by Down Syndrome Ireland is being addressed by the Minister. He expects to be in a position to publish the policy advice in the coming weeks, so we are not talking about a prolonged period of time. We have heard the case that has been made and it is being addressed. There is a process through which the Minister is looking at it. The issue of Down's syndrome is very much part of that process and we should wait to see what is that expert advice.

He will publish it in a matter of weeks. We heard the case made by Down Syndrome Ireland to the all-party group at a meeting earlier this week.