Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding he will specifically allocate to the new model of in-school speech and language therapy; the number of Health Service Executive therapists he will redirect to this model; the number of additional posts he will recruit to specifically service this model; the timeframe for establishing the model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10916/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government states that a new model of In-School Speech and Language Therapy will be established. It commits to investing an extra €500million in education by 2021 through measures including childcare subventions, HSE Speech and Language Therapists, to bring the number up to 1,102 (a 25% increase).

As committed to in the Programme for a Partnership Government, I plan to examine the adequacy of the present policies and provision, and their scope for improvement, particularly in relation to speech and language difficulties and early intervention.

As Speech and Language Therapists are currently employed by the Health Service Executive (HSE), officials at my Department will now engage with colleagues in the Department of Health and the HSE to develop a plan for the implementation of this commitment. The implementation plan will identify the actions to be taken and the specific timeframe for the delivery of this commitment.

In the interim my Department continues to provide an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD).

This includes provision for the establishment of special classes for pupils with 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). The criteria for enrolment in a Special Class for pupils with SSLD is set out in my Department's Circular 0038/2007.

Pupils who are not enrolled in a special class for SSLD and who meet the criteria for Specific Speech and Language Disorder, as outlined in my Department's Circular, may qualify for additional teaching support where he/she is enrolled in mainstream school.

Pupils with mild speech and language difficulties may qualify for supplementary teaching support from within the school's general allocation of learning support/teaching support. It is a matter for individual schools to use their professional judgement to identify pupils who will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils.