Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that the proposal to erode the current therapy services provision operating in special needs schools is vital to the holistic educational development, in this instance for children with moderate intellectual disability, the way he propose that these children will progress to the best of their educational and developmental ability. [47891/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that the provision of therapy services in schools is a matter for the Minister for Health.

I am aware that the Health Service Executive has recognised the need to increase the level of consistency and standardisation in the way both early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities are delivered and to this end is currently engaged in a reconfiguration of existing therapy resources to geographic based teams for children (0-18 years). The National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years) has been established since 2010. It is supported by a National Coordinating Group which has representatives from the Department of Health and my Department in addition to other key stakeholders. The Programme is based on the recommendations of the Report of the National Reference Group on Multidisciplinary Services for Children aged 5-18 Years produced by representatives of the professions and management involved in delivering multi-disciplinary services to children which is available on the HSE website www.hse.ie.

The long term goal of this Programme is to bring consistency in service delivery and a clear pathway to services for all children with disabilities according to need. Implementation of this Programme will have a positive impact on the provision of clinical services for all children requiring access to health related supports, regardless of where they live or which pre-school or school they attend.

While the Programme supports the principle of providing access to mainstream education where appropriate, it also recognises a continuing role for special schools.