Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1332: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not entitled to a greater number of resource teaching hours in view of the fact that they have been diagnosed with verbal apraxia; if her attention has been to the fact that a psychologist has asserted that the person needs five hours of resource teaching per week and constant speech and language therapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29269/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been operational since 1st January 2005, and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs).

I can confirm that an application for 5 hours resource teaching support for the pupil in question was considered by the local SENO. I can confirm that 3 hours resource teaching support and access to a full time shared special needs assistant in line with my Department's criteria has been sanctioned by the local SENO for the pupil referred to by the Deputy.

The NCSE will review decisions previously taken in relation to such cases on foot of a request from the school or parents/guardians, when accompanied by relevant additional information, which may not have been to hand at the time of the decision. The NCSE has outlined this process in its Circular 01/05 which issued to all primary schools.

The responsibility for the provision of speech and language therapy is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children.