Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 32: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department will take any responsibility for the failure to recruit adequate numbers of speech therapists which is having an adverse effect on the educational opportunities of children with speech and language difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10720/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In May 2002, my Department approved the provision of 175 additional therapy training places to tackle shortages of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists as identified in the report "Current and Future Supply and Demand Conditions in the Labour Market for Certain Professional Therapists", which was undertaken by Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates in 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health and Children.

Commencing from 2003, there has been an increase of 75 places on new courses in Speech and Language Therapy. The additional places were equally divided between the BSc course in UCC, the BSc course in NUIG, and the Masters course in UL. The increase in intake has resulted in a significant increase in the number of Speech and Language Therapists graduating from the third level sector.

As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of therapy services, including speech therapy for people with disabilities, is a matter for the Health Services Executive (HSE) and funding is provided to the HSE for such purposes. Responsibility for the recruitment of these therapists rests with the HSE. My Department does not employ speech therapists for the delivery of speech therapy services to schools or determine the children that should receive these services. I can confirm that there are currently 59 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.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special needs supports, including applications for the establishment of special classes, including classes for specific speech and language disorder.