Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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118. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of speech and language therapists assigned to schools in Dublin for each year from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40200/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of health-related therapy services for children with disabilities is a matter for the HSE and queries in relation to those services should be directed to the HSE or to the Department of Children Equality Disability.

The allocation of Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) to language classes is a matter for the HSE. The department of Education and Youth (DEY) or the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) do not determine this allocation.

Regarding SLT supports provided through the NCSE, please see table attached.

In 2018 the NCSE led the Demonstration Project for In- Schools Therapy, therapists were employed by the HSE. This pilot provided SLTs supports to 75 schools, until March 2020 and following Covid SLT supports resumed by the NCSE. The NCSE Education Therapy Support Service (ETSS) currently provides a therapy support service to a small number of schools (22). In 2024 the maximum number of Speech and Language Therapy posts was 7. In 2025 this increased to 16, however, not all posts are currently filled.