Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 441: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the support services available to second level students with autism, specifically with regard to speech and language therapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13864/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that my Department's policy is to support the inclusive education of students with special educational needs across the schools system. In this context, a range of supports are provided to second level schools to enable them cater for pupils with special educational needs, including the needs of pupils with autism. The supports available include additional teaching support, special needs assistant support, school transport and grants for the purchase of teaching materials and specialised equipment.

My Department's policy supports the provision of a range of choices for parents of children of a post-primary age with autism. The National Council for Special Education co-ordinates the placement of these children either in main stream post-primary schools with additional support as required, in a special class in a post-primary school or in a special school. While some children with autism can thrive in a mainstream class, special classes have been specifically designed to meet the needs of those who require more intensive support.

As the Deputy is aware enormous progress has been made over the past number of years in relation to increasing the number of teachers who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. At second level, approximately 1,990 whole time equivalent additional teachers are in place to support pupils with special educational needs. In addition, there are 561 whole time equivalent learning support teachers and approximately 1,700 whole time equivalent special needs assistants (SNAs) in our second level schools.

Comprehensive guidance has recently been provided to schools on best practice for inclusion of students with special educational needs. The guideline document "Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs: Post-Primary Guidelines" was published by my Department's Inspectorate in June 2007 and is a significant step to further support second level schools in the inclusion of students with special educational needs. The guidelines advocate a whole-school approach to effectively meet the educational needs of students with special educational needs. Practical advice is provided to schools on the organisation and co-ordination of resources so as to maximise the support to each individual student.

The Deputy may also wish to note that the availability of continuing professional development for personnel working with children with special educational needs has been greatly expanded through a range of post-graduate professional training programmes and the ongoing development of the Special Education Support Service (SESS) to support schools staff locally.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. SNAs are sanctioned specifically to assist in the care of pupils and students with disabilities in an educational context. The SENOs operate within the policy outlined in my Department's circular for allocating such support. Additional special classes for children with autism will be sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education as required. School Authorities typically liaise directly with SENOs in relation to their needs for such classes.

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.