Two Cork special schools included in next phase of pilot scheme to restore therapists

The troubled pilot scheme for the restoration of therapists to special schools is expected to see speech and language therapists, as well as occupational therapists, in the schools in early January, Colm Burke, minister of State at the Department of Health, has suggested.

The Fine Gael Cork North Central TD was speaking as an announcement was made that Mayfield special school St Killian’s, as well as the East Cork Community Special School in Carrigtwohill and eight other special schools in Dublin and Galway would be added to the scheme, which was announced with six special schools in August.

The four special schools in Cork included in the initial tranche were St Paul’s in Montenotte, Carrigaline Community Special School, Rochestown Special School, and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Ballincollig.

When the initial list was announced in August, the parents and principal of St Killian’s Special School in Mayfield expressed great disappointment that their school had not been included, as it was widely acknowledged that the proposal by St Killian’s to secure therapists from the private sector had inspired the establishment of the pilot scheme.

According to Mr Burke, he and others had “lobbied very hard” for the inclusion of St Killian’s in the scheme.

“This will now start from January 1,” said Mr Burke.

Responding to a query from The Echo as to whether this meant that all the Cork special schools in the pilot scheme would see therapists in January, Mr Burke said: 

“The issue is that it’s obviously subject to them getting the therapists they require — St Killian’s are absolutely confident they can get the therapists, and I understand they will be in a position to start on January 1.”

According to Anne Hartnett, principal of St Paul’s, there have been indications from the National Council of Special Education (NCSE), that speech and language therapists and occupational therapists would be starting in St Paul’s and the other pilot scheme schools in Cork in January.

A meeting is due to take place involving representatives of the HSE and the NCSE with the principals of the Cork schools next week to set out how the scheme would work.

In October, St Killian’s was granted €40,000 to fund privately-sourced therapists until December, and talks are currently understood to be reaching a conclusion to ensure these therapists can be secured.

Nevertheless, the St Killian’s Parents Unite group issued a statement welcoming the inclusion of the school in the pilot scheme.

“After months of campaigning, this is indeed welcome news,” said Eibhlin Gleeson of St Killian’s Parents Unite.

“However, we will now need to see that every measure is being taken to ensure that this pilot is fit for purpose.

“This means an appropriate level of therapeutic hours for all of the children of St Killian’s, and soon.”

Sinn Féin Cork North Central TD Thomas Gould said this must not be “another empty promise from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael”.

“Children are suffering and losing out on their potential — that cannot be allowed to continue, and must be a priority for the next government,” he said.