Vol. 500 No. 4
362 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if the Presentation primary school, Bandon, County Cork, will have the facilities of a speech therapist available to the pupils in a special class; and if his Department will assume responsibility for the funding of this service. [4028/99]
My Department has received a request for funding for a speech therapy service in the school referred to by the Deputy. Speech therapy services, including those required by children attending special classes, have traditionally been provided by the relevant health authority. My Department is in contact with the Department of Health and Children with a view to ensuring that any necessary speech therapy service is made available to the children in question as soon as possible.
I have also asked my officials to carry out an overall review of current arrangements in relation to the provision of speech therapy services in schools, in consultation with the Department of Health and Children. My objective is to ensure that the system is in a position to respond in a positive and efficient manner to those speech therapy needs which arise within the school system.
