Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

Taking up from the points Deputy Ó Caoláin made, the importance of providing these services to children at a fairly young age cannot be over-emphasised. I would ask the Minister to look also at the crossover between children going from early years to primary school, in particular, in terms of ensuring those with speech and language difficulties get the services they require. If their needs can be addressed at that age, it has innumerable benefits down the road. It can ensure a child can catch up and be in a position to keep pace with his or her education as he or she goes on.

I ask the Minister to intervene in a particular case on which I am working in Drumfries national school in County Donegal where they are trying to set up a new class for a number of children who require speech and language assistance but are encountering difficulties because of the lack of speech and language therapists within the HSE in the area.

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