FIANNA Fáil TD Willie O’Dea welcomed the inclusion of Limerick Community Special School and St Vincent’s Special School in the first phase of the new Education Therapy Service (ETS).
Deputy O’Dea hailed the initiative as as a “game-changer” for children with additional needs and their families across Limerick.
The ETS is designed to complement existing health and disability services, ensuring children receive the right supports, in the right place, at the right time, he said. Deputy O’Dea added that the inclusion of Limerick Community Special School and St Vincent’s Special School in this first phase is hugely positive news for families locally.
“This is a landmark step forward in how we support children with special educational needs, and I am particularly pleased to see two outstanding schools Limerick Community Special School and St Vincent’s Special School included from the very beginning,” he commented.
Deputy O’Dea said the Government is committed to strengthening special education and ensuring no child is left behind.
“Embedding therapists in schools is a practical, family-centered reform that will provide more timely and coordinated support where children learn every day. I look forward to seeing the service expand further in the months ahead so that even more schools and families across Limerick can benefit,” he concluded
Recruitment for the first 90 therapists to support 45 schools announced has concluded, with therapists to be appointed to schools in the coming months. Schools are also being contacted to begin planning for how the service will be delivered and integrated.