Written answers
Thursday, 23 April 2026
Department of Education and Skills
Further and Higher Education
Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the engagement that has taken place between his Department and the Department of Health regarding workforce planning for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy; whether projected higher education training places are aligned with workforce demand identified by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21732/26]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is engaged in ongoing and intensive collaboration with the Department of Health, Department of Children, Disability, and Equality and Department of Education and Youth along with the HSE and the Higher Education Authority to ensure that workforce planning for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy is fully aligned with national service needs.
This engagement is structured through a coordinated, cross-Government approach, including an Inter-Departmental Working Group and joint workforce modelling and gap analysis. This work has identified significant shortages across these therapy professions, particularly in the growth of complex needs across disability services, Children’s Disability Network Teams, the new National Education Therapy Service and broader community-based care.
In response, Government has already delivered substantial expansion in these specific disciplines. Since 2023, this has included an additional:
- 167 Physiotherapy training places, representing approximately 80% growth
- 80 Occupational Therapy, representing approximately 62% growth
- 25 Speech and Language Therapy places, representing approximately 21% growth
Expansion decisions are informed by detailed workforce projections, regional service needs, and ongoing engagement across Government. The Higher Education Authority has also completed a national clinical placement mapping exercise, which plays a critical role in aligning education capacity with health service delivery.
While alignment is strong, clinical placement capacity remains the primary constraint on further expansion, as placements are a regulated requirement for qualification. A recent national clinical placement mapping exercise has been completed by the HEA with the relevant HEIs and currently is being reviewed by the HSE. Once completed this will help inform future expansion.
Looking ahead, a new Expression of Interest is being finalised for activation by my Department and the HEA, which will support further targeted expansion in these disciplines, ensuring that additional places continue to reflect workforce demand and are delivered sustainably, particularly in disability and community care services.
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