Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

We have given consideration to the reinstatement of these amendments to section 4 of the Bill but they are not being accepted. The effect of the proposed amendment would be to maintain the position that support services details under section 7 of the Education Act 1998 remain defined in section 2 of the Act to include speech therapy services despite the actual position that such services are provided by the HSE and that funding is made to that body for the provision of these services.

The continued existence of sections 2 and 7 of the Education Act 1998 causes confusion for parents, schools and professionals as to who is the service provider. There are no services currently being provided by my Department which will no longer be provided as a result of the revised legislation. Rather, the amendment is necessary to clarify the actual position in regard to the delivery of speech therapy services to students of school going age.

The additional funding of €7.2 million for disability was provided to the HSE in budget 2009 for the provision of 90 additional therapy posts targeted to support children with disabilities of school going age and including speech and language therapists. The legislative framework will be regularised in accordance with the de facto position, which is, that the provision of speech therapy services is a matter for the HSE. The proposed provisions will not impact on the availability through the HSE of speech therapy services for children with special educational needs.

The Department will continue to support the co-ordinated delivery of services to families of children with special educational needs and will continue to work with service providing partners in the health and disability sectors through the inter-departmental cross-sectoral team.