Vol. 542 No. 5
301 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children the additional funding provided to the Midland Health Board for speech and language therapy at a centre (details supplied) in County Westmeath; his views on whether 15 minutes of speech and language therapy per week is adequate to meet the needs of children with learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25028/01]
The allocation of the additional funding provided to the board in 2001 to enhance the level of health related support services available to children with an intellectual disability and those with autism is a matter for the Midland Health Board in the first instance. I have been informed by the board that the centre in question did not receive any additional funding this year. The centre provides pre-school services for 15 children and currently has two three hour sessions of speech and language therapy per week. The board has informed my Department that, having consulted with the centre, it is satisfied that the level of speech and language therapy provision currently available meets the immediate needs of the children.
