Some children in County Clare who struggle with reading and writing are losing confidence, being teased by classmates and becoming reluctant to attend school, Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney has told the Dáil.
Deputy Cooney said the impact of literacy difficulties on children and their families was a serious concern, as he called for a renewed focus on delivering effective supports to pupils who need them.
Estimates cited by the Clare TD suggest that between 5% and 10% of primary school pupils experience significant difficulties with reading and writing. With approximately 13,000 primary school children in Clare, this could affect between 650 and 1,300 pupils.
“I have heard from a number of constituents in County Clare whose children have serious difficulties with reading and writing. The impact is profound. Some children have low confidence, they are teased in class and end up not wanting to attend school as a consequence,” Deputy Cooney said.
“That should concern all of us. We need to refocus our efforts on delivering the right supports to children who are struggling. Identifying the problem is only the first step. We must make sure the help they need is available when they need it.”
Deputy Cooney raised the issue with Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth, Michael Moynihan, seeking figures on the number of Clare pupils receiving additional teaching support for literacy difficulties, including dyslexia, and how those numbers had changed over the previous three school years. He also asked about waiting lists for specialist reading classes.
Mr Moynihan confirmed that two of the 14 specific learning disability classes operating in 11 mainstream primary schools nationally were in Clare.
He also outlined plans for a literacy associates pilot programme, being developed by the Department in conjunction with the National Council for Special Education, which will initially support up to 40 schools. Additional funding has been secured under Budget 2027 for teacher training, including a new accredited course in inclusive education with a focus on literacy skills.
Deputy Cooney welcomed the proposed measures but said the lack of county-level data made it difficult to assess whether existing supports were meeting demand or where additional resources were needed.
“If we do not know how many children are receiving support for reading or writing difficulties, or how that has changed over the last three years, nobody, including the Department, can judge whether existing supports are keeping pace,” he said.
“We do not know whether they are effective or whether what is planned will be enough. I think we can do better.”
He called on the Department to consider collecting county-level data before deciding which schools would benefit from the pilot programme.
Mr Moynihan acknowledged the need to better understand the scale of literacy difficulties and said the pilot was intended to help determine how the education system could respond.
Deputy Cooney said children needed timely, practical support to prevent difficulties with literacy from undermining their confidence and their experience of school.
“We need to make sure the supports are there for children who are struggling. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, to build their confidence and to reach their full potential.”