Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 698: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if children with dyspraxia have an automatic entitlement to assistance from her Department or from the National Council for Special Education; if children with dyspraxia receive an automatic allocation of resource teaching hours at primary level; if children with dyspraxia have a guaranteed entitlement to occupational therapy, other therapeutic services or any other services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19907/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a range of teaching and care supports for children of school-going age with special educational needs, including children with dyspraxia. The precise level of support is determined by the special educational needs of the particular child. Children with dyspraxia may be entitled to additional provision in school, either under the terms of the general allocation system of teaching supports if the educational psychological assessment places the child in the high incidence disability category or through an allocation of additional resources if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's circular. In circumstances where a child with dyspraxia has other associated needs and would fall into the low incidence disability category, this would automatically attract additional resource teaching support. Applications for this support are made to the local special educational needs organiser by the school. The provision of therapeutic services is a matter for the Health Services Executive (HSE) and funding is provided to the HSE for such purposes.