Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason education therapy services have not been provided to children with additional needs in mainstream schools in Budget 2026; and the measures being taken to ensure the same support is provided to these children in contrast with children attending special education schools. [59668/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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. The Education Plan 2025 confirms the government commitment to and approval of the establishment of the Education Therapy Service (ETS). This is not to replace HSE services but rather to compliment existing supports.

It is anticipated this service will commence in some special schools at a later stage in the 2025/26 school year. 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. This service will be expanded overtime, to include special and mainstream classes. Initially the service will include the disciplines of Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy.

As referenced Budget 2026 allocated €16 million to in school therapies, this will facilitate the recruitment of further therapists and assist with the continued roll out of the ETS to special schools in the 2026/2027 school year, in line with available resources.

The development and delivery of this service will be informed by detailed engagement, which is on-going, with our colleagues in the HSE and stakeholders and will build on the National Council for Special Educations’ (NCSE) work previously completed through the Educational Therapy Support Service (ETSS) and the School Inclusion Model.

The ETS, currently provides supports to mainstream schools through their Sustained In School Therapy supports and a Regional Therapy service providing Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) nationally.

Sustained in-school support (SIT) is provided to schools for a defined period of 18-24 months in line with the School Inclusion Model. 22 schools in the Eastern region are currently availing of this service and 28 schools in the Western region.

Regional Therapy seminars will be available nationally for the 2025/2026 school year.

My Department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring, that in time, all children and young people have access to essential speech and language and occupational therapy in their school environment a timely manner.