Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 10 October 2017, if he will request the NCPE to begin collecting data on the number of children turned down annually for speech and language classes in primary schools despite meeting the qualifying criteria, in view of the fact that adapting capacity to meet demand is difficult if not impossible with the absence of this data; the reason the NCPE has not collected this data to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44094/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Students with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD) may attend a special class for students with SSLD with speech and language therapy services provided in class by the HSE or attend a mainstream school with additional teaching supports and speech & language therapy through the HSE primary care service. 

The NCSE monitors and reviews the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary, subject to the willingness of schools to open such classes.  The NCSE welcomes expressions of interest from schools in opening special classes to meet the demand for special class provision.  In deciding on the location of a special class SENOs take into account both the present and the future potential need for special class provision and they must be satisfied that the special class is sustainable and appropriately located.  SENOs liaise with relevant professionals in their area to arrive at an informed decision. In the case of SSLD special classes, the SENO liaises with HSE speech and language therapists.

The opening of a Speech and Language class is contingent on the HSE being in a position to provide Speech and Language therapy to the students in the class.  The enrolment of students in an SSLD special class is managed locally by an Admissions & Discharges Committee, comprising the Speech and Language Therapy Manager, Speech and Language Therapist, Class Teacher and Principal.  The NCSE is not represented on this committee.

The planning of special class provision for SSLD is based on information available to Speech and Language Therapists on the number of children diagnosed with SSLD. Therefore, it is not necessary for the NCSE to collect such data as it is available to the HSE.