Vol. 487 No. 3
320 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction the provision of the much needed senior speech and language class at the Sacred Heart school, Portlaoise, County Laois, in view of the success of the junior speech and language class and the consequent need for this service at senior national school level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4037/98]
A special classes to cater for children with specific speech and language disorders was established in 1995 in the school referred to by the Deputy. That special class was sanctioned on a permanent basis in March 1996.
No application has been made to my Department by the authorities at the school in question or any other national school in the area for the establishment of a senior speech and language class.
Speech therapy services, provided by the relevant health board, form part of the support package made available to pupils attending such special classes. Decisions as to the location of classes and the delivery of speech therapy services are dictated by the level of assessed need in particular areas.
The report of the special education review committee estimated that 0.2 per cent of children attending primary schools have been assessed as having speech and language disorder. The report recommended the continued provision of special classes to cater for such children.
