Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that three children have been refused access to a special language class at a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, that the Health Service Executive has identified five children requiring this specific service and that only two have been offered places in the school for September 2005; if the necessary resources will be made available as a matter of urgency in order that the three children in question may secure a language class placement in September 2005. [20527/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Special classes for children with specific speech and language disorders are established where a need has been identified and supported by up-to-date psychological and speech therapy reports in respect of the children in question. Each class caters for a maximum of seven children and each class requires the services of a speech therapist. The speech therapy service is provided by the relevant health executive service.

The school in question currently has a special class for speech and language disorder. There will be seven pupils enrolled in the class in September 2005 and therefore there is no available spare capacity in this particular class for any additional pupils.

The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education, which became operational on 1 January 2005, now processes applications for special educational needs supports, including requests for the establishment of special classes. The council has a key role in the development and delivery of services for persons with special educational needs, including children with speech and language disorders. The council has a local area presence through a network of 71 special educational needs organisers, SENOs.

The council has not received any application for the establishment of an additional class for speech and language disorder from the school referred to by the Deputy to date. However, I can confirm that correspondence has been received in my Department, from the parents in question, requesting that an additional speech and language class be established to cater for their three children. My officials have established that the parents in question have met with the principal of the school and were advised there is a classroom available. My Department will now liaise with the National Council for Special Education in this regard.