Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure resource teaching hours are maintained in respect of a child (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [10084/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides 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). Special classes may also be discontinued by the NCSE where the need no longer exists. The criteria for enrolment in a Special Class for pupils with SSLD is set out in my Department's Circular 0038/2007.

A full-time teacher is assigned to each class, and classes operate with a reduced pupil-teacher ratio of 7:1. In addition, an enhanced capitation grant is provided to schools operating special classes for pupils with SSLD. Speech and Language Therapy services are provided to these classes by the Health Service Executive (HSE). A minimum number of five eligible pupils is required for a school to retain a SSLD class. Eligible pupils may spend up to two years in such classes. 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. There are currently no plans to cut the provision of resource teaching hours for the coming school year.

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. All mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model (GAM) to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs. 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. Schools are guided by Department Circular 02/05 in the effective deployment of these resources.

Schools will shortly be requested by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to submit their applications to the NCSE for Resource Teaching support for pupils with special educational needs, for the 2014/15 school year, by 26th March, 2014.

The NCSE intend to advise school of their resource teaching allocations for low incidence special needs for the school year 2014/2015, by the end of May 2014. Finally, I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of health supports, including Speech and Language Therapy services, is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and concerns in relation to this particular issue should be directed to that body.