Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 February 2025
351. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to consider extending the pilots for enhanced in-school therapy supports to special schools in the midlands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5926/25]
View answerSince 2021, the Government has sought to reinstate therapy supports previously available to special schools. Between 2021 and 2022, the Government provided funding for the reinstatement of 223 posts that had been historically provided in approximately half of all special schools. While some services have been reinstated it is acknowledged that progress has been affected by the shortage of health and social care professionals.
Through the Progressing Disability Services Oversight Group, the Department of Education is working with the Department of Health, DCEDIY and the HSE to develop and strengthen more coherent structures to enable children and young people to access therapeutic supports, including those who attend special schools.
As a result of this engagement, and as you are aware, Phase 1 of the enhanced in-school therapy supports pilot commenced in September 2024, in six schools in the Cork and Dublin. An additional ten schools were announced as part of the pilot on 8th November 2024, in Cork, Dublin and Galway, with phased onboarding of schools to the pilot over the course of the 2024/2025 academic year.
The selection of the pilot locations and the associated schools was informed by detailed engagement between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), the Department of Education (DoE), the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). School selection was based on where the needs profile of the children identified as greatest, and where resourcing is not currently available in proportion to these needs.
It is acknowledged there are many deserving schools that support children with complex needs.
It is my ambition and intention, in time and taking into account the outcomes of the enhanced in-school therapy support pilot, to extend these supports to more special schools in other locations.
