Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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165. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills why he did not put in place proper individual education and care plans and make provision for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and so on at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16814/16]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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166. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills why a school (details supplied) that is specifically built for autism has fewer resources available than a standard school; if he is aware of the huge pressure placed on the school to provide the basic resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16815/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of health therapy supports for children with disabilities, including speech, language, physical and sensory therapy supports are provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The HSE, which has statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services, is currently engaged in a reconfiguration of existing health related therapy resources for children with complex needs, into multi-disciplinary geographically based teams as part of its National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years).

The aim of this programme is to achieve a national, unified approach to delivering disability health services so that there is a clear pathway to services for all children, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of their disability.

The education sector, which is working very closely with Health, is fully involved in the development of the Programme, to ensure that, from the children's and parents' perspective, the services provided by each sector are integrated, in so far as is possible.

The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Partnership Government includes a commitment to introduce a new in-school speech and language service creating stronger links between parents, teachers and speech and language therapists. This Government has also committed to increase the number of HSE speech and language therapists by some 25%, bringing the number up to 1,102.

Officials of my Department will meet counterparts in the Departments of Health, Children and Youth Affairs and the HSE in the coming weeks to consider the proposals and to commence the development of an implementation plan to give effect to the commitment.

Schools are currently encouraged to use Individual Education Plans (IEP) through policy guidance, support, training and inspection. The DES Inspectorate's advice is that the majority of schools are now using some form of individual education planning for children with special needs.

DES Circular 30/2014 in relation to the SNA scheme also requires schools to provide personalised pupil plans for new pupils for whom SNA support is being applied for.

As the Deputy is aware each special class for autism at primary level has a 6:1 pupil teacher ratio and also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 SNAs for a class of 6 children.

Scoil Cara has 10 classes with 60 students enrolled for 2016/2017 school year supported by an Administrative Principal, class teachers and SNAs. The NCSE has also allocated additional SNAs to this school to meet the complex needs of the students enrolled. This level of educational support significantly exceeds the resource allocation provision currently available to any mainstream school in the State and is fully consistent with the resource levels provided for other special schools in the State.

I am confident that the proposed development of in-school provision, supported by the proposed additional resources and the re-configuration of HSE multi-disciplinary geographically based teams in all regions across the country, will ensure that services for children with disabilities will be significantly improved.