Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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847. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a list of the 45 special schools that are to be included in the new National Therapy Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45824/25]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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848. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) is one of the 45 special schools to be included in the new National Therapy Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45825/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 847 and 848 together.

While the provision of clinical therapy supports to children is the responsibility of the HSE, it is this government’s ambition, and as outlined in the Programme for Government, to extend therapy supports within the education system, initially in special schools, and subsequently extending to schools with special classes and mainstream provision overtime. This is not to replace HSE services but rather to compliment existing supports recognising that special schools support children with complex needs.

As you may be aware, it is anticipated that the new Education Therapy Service (ETS) will commence in some special schools at a later stage in the 2025/26 school year. The schools selected for inclusion in the initial phase, will be informed by engagement with our colleagues in the HSE and the National Council of Special Education (NCSE). It is anticipated that school selection for the initial phase will be complete early in the 2025/2026 school year to ensure that selected schools have the opportunity to engage with the ETS prior to therapist assignment.

Further roll out of the service will occur on a phased basis with a wider roll-out in special schools commencing in the 2026/27 school year.

It is important to note that while the Education Therapy Service (ETS) is developing, a therapy service for schools is already in existence through the NCSE, this service is the Education Therapy Support Service (ETSS). The ETSS currently provides two strands of support to mainstream schools. The first strand involves the assignment of therapists to schools for a defined period of time to deliver a three-tiered model of support.

The second strand involves the provision of teacher professional learning with follow up in school modelling and coaching as appropriate. All schools will have the opportunity to apply for this support in the 2025/2026 school year.