Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 419: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will allocate the required resources to a school (details supplied) in order that six pupils who it is proposed will form a special class within that school will have access to speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and psychological services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34966/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has taken over key functions from my Department in relation to special educational provision. The NCSE was formally established as an independent statutory body on the 1 October 2005 under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2005. The council acts under the broad policy direction of my Department but has the resources and the remit to play the leading role in the delivery of education services to children with disabilities or special needs.

Where a pupil with special educational needs enrols in a post primary school, it is open to the school to apply to the local special educational needs organiser for additional teaching support and-or special needs assistant support for the pupil. The precise model of provision made available will depend on the assessed needs of the pupils involved. Some students are capable of attending ordinary classes on an integrated basis with additional teacher and-or special needs assistant support.

In other cases, placement in special dedicated classes or units attached to the school may be the more appropriate response. Such special classes operate at significantly reduced pupil teacher ratios. Students attached to these special classes may be facilitated in attending ordinary subject classes on an integrated basis wherever possible. The organisation of such provision is a significant task of the National Council for Special Education.

In the case of the school referred to by the Deputy a staffing allocation of two additional teaching posts and 2.5 special needs assistant posts has been granted to cater for the special class in question. The provision of speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and other health related supports is a matter for the Health Service Executive.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the co-ordination that exists between her Department, the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health and Children regarding the funding and resourcing of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and psychological services for preschool, primary and secondary students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34967/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of therapy services for people with disabilities, including speech and language therapy and occupational therapy, is a matter for the Health Service Executive, HSE, and funding is provided to the HSE for such purposes. There is ongoing liaison and collaboration at national, regional and area levels between the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and the Health Service Executive.

Following publication of a NEPS-HSE working group report entitled Achieving Through Partnership in 2002, a joint NEPS-HSE national steering committee was established to oversee the implementation of the report. This committee is promoting collaborative working, including the development of agreed work protocols at regional and area levels. The committee is currently considering the development of joint working projects that should ensure a more co-ordinated approach to the delivery of services at regional level for target groups such as children with autistic spectrum disorders. While NEPS is not currently mandated to provide services to pre-school children, the importance of liaison between health and education services in respect of pre-school children is recognised. At the regional level NEPS is contributing to the development of HSE referral pathways protocols to assist this process Diagnostic assessment services for children with moderate, severe or profound intellectual disability are the responsibility of the HSE local services. Where children are identified as having severe emotional or child psychiatric difficulties, these children are treated on an individual basis through HSE services.