Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

168. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will be included in the new pilot scheme between the HSE and his Department for speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14471/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Programme for a Partnership Government states that a new model of In-School Speech and Language Therapy will be established. 

In October of this year, Budget 2018 provided an additional €2M to introduce a pilot/demonstration project for in-school Therapy services in 2018.

The demonstration project will develop and test a model for the delivery of in school speech and language and occupational therapy support, in a defined regional area, across a range of schools, in conjunction with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and supplementing existing HSE therapy services.

The pilot will focus on developing greater linkages between educational and therapy supports.

An Interdepartmental Working Group, including representatives from my Department, the National Council for Special Education, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, has been appointed to develop the pilot/demonstration model for In-school Therapy Services.

This Working Group will make recommendations as to which region, or regions, the pilot should take place in. The schools which will be invited to participate in the pilot will therefore depend on this decision.

I will be announcing further details in relation to the project in the near future.