Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special language units here; the waiting list for each unit; and the number of hours that children in each unit receive in speech therapy on a weekly basis. [23328/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that there are approximately 63 special classes for children with specific speech and language disorder in primary schools nationwide. The classes operate at a pupil teacher ratio of 7:1. Responsibility for enrolment to these classes rests with the individual school authority and my Department would not hold any information in relation to waiting lists for these classes.

As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of therapy services is a matter for the Health Services Executive (HSE) and funding is provided to the HSE for such purposes. The extent of service provided to these classes is a matter for the HSE and this information is not available in my Department.