Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)

Another question also relates to my constituency. The Minister of State will probably be aware that the University of Limerick is partnering with schools in some of the most disadvantaged areas across Limerick to deliver school interventions in psychotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy.

The schools included are Our Lady Queen of Peace School, Janesboro, St. Mary's primary school, Corpus Christi primary school, which will present at the committee next week, Gaelscoil Sheoirse Clancy, Le Chéile, which the Minister of State also visited, and Our Lady of Lourdes primary school. The Health Alliances for Practice-based Professional Education and Engagement, HAPPEE, project, places UL students training in these fields directly in the classroom. It has created a positive experience for children, parents and teachers alike. Given its success, it has expanded from the initial pilot in one school in 2021-2022 to the six schools I mentioned. While the project has received funding through the What Works programme, I am inquiring if consideration is being given by the Department to renewing this funding on a longer term basis so that this positive scheme can be maintained in the existing schools and potentially expanded to additional schools in Limerick and the mid-west. That is the HAPPEE programme.