Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
361. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether verbal dyspraxia/apraxia of speech is recognised as eligible under Circular 0024/2025.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18128/26]
View answer362. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether children with dual diagnoses are excluded from speech and language interventions if autism is deemed the primary category. [18129/26]
View answer363. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the evidential basis for maintaining IQ-based eligibility criteria in dyslexia provision. [18130/26]
View answer364. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific specialised interventions available in mainstream schools for severe dyslexia and severe speech motor disorders. [18131/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 361, 362, 363 and 364 together.
This government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Students with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) have access to speech therapy services either through the speech and language therapy services provided in special class settings by the Health Service Executive (HSE), or through the HSE’s primary care service. There are currently 64 special classes nationwide for students with a DLD or SSD.
As the HSE provide speech and language therapy to students in these classes the opening and retention of such classes is contingent on the availability of HSE resources. For this reason, close engagement and coordination occurs among stakeholders at a local level.
Importantly, students with specific speech and language difficulties that are not enrolled in a special class may qualify for additional teaching support under the school's special education teaching support provision. 15,000 special education teachers have been provided to enable schools to achieve this objective. In practical terms, this means schools get a substantial additional teaching allocation to support students with special education needs who are in mainstream classes.
I recognise the importance of building the capacity of teachers in mainstream schools to meet the needs of all students. To support this, 338 places are funded each year to teachers to attend post-graduate special education needs programmes. The NCSE also offer dedicated professional learning opportunities for teachers supporting students with additional needs.
It is important to me and this Government that we build on the initiatives recently introduced to ensure that no matter where a child is enrolled, they have access to the required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals. An example of this is the Educational Therapy Support Service (ETSS) which sees 39 occupational and speech and language therapy posts embedded within the NCSE. The service is designed to build the capacity of teachers (and other school personnel as relevant) to provide as effectively as possible for the needs of all students.
While the provision of clinical therapy supports to children is the responsibility of the HSE, my department is working with the Department of Health, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to develop and strengthen more coherent structures to enable children and young people to access therapeutic supports across both health and education.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
