Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the necessary speech and language resource will be provided to ensure that a specific speech and language disorder class can be established in a school (details supplied) in County Donegal from September 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17131/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Department of Education and Skills provides for the establishment of special classes for specific speech and language disorder (SSLD) in primary schools. Applications to establish such classes are considered by the school's assigned Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) and those meeting the criteria for establishment are approved by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). A full-time teacher is assigned to each class, and classes operate with a reduced pupil-teacher ratio of 7:1. The Health Service Executive has responsibility for the provision of health and personal services including speech and language provision, as appropriate, to people with disabilities. The Department of Health has asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to you in relation to the provision of such services in County Donegal.