Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At this moment, no, I cannot tell anybody where they might be going. Once this is approved, my intention is that as soon as possible we will open up the process to hire and then working alongside that identify the 45 schools and make sure we have the provisions in place to be able to start therapies during this school year, preferably before the end of this year. We are moving fast. We have had a number of Cabinet committee meetings and quick decisions to make sure the funding is there and the agreement is there at a political level, and to make sure we can start hiring as quickly as possible. In parallel to that, the NCSE, which will be rolling this out, is working very closely with my Department, the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to make sure the model is correct. We are working together and any supports being provided in our schools by our new therapists will work hand in hand with our CDNTs and teams in the communities to make sure children are getting that rounded support in school but also in our communities.