Speech therapy pilot being set up in schools
A pilot project is being set up to offer children speech therapy at school.
€2 million was ringfenced in the last Budget to pay for extra supports.
It will see more than two dozen speech and language, and occupational therapists, hired at 75 schools and 75 preschools.
They will be recruited by the HSE and spread across a mix of rural and urban areas around Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.
Education Minister Richard Bruton says if the scheme is successful, it will be rolled-out nationally.
"We would believe, certainly, that this will become the norm rather than a pilot," he said.
We are very confident that this will prove to be a gain for both the theraputic delivery and the schools.
"Obviously we have to prove the concept - and we're doing this - and we have to get the models right."
