Summer Provision

The Clare Crusaders therapy-based clinic in Barefield provides services, without any Government funding, to 450 children with special needs.

The Clinic has been inundated with calls this week from angry and anxious parents whose children are not being accommodated under the Government’s July Provision programme. In light of the shortage of available SNAs and teachers, I today queried Lorraine Dempsey, Chair of Inclusion Ireland, on whether the Department of Education could allow specialist nurses, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists – all experienced professionals in their respective fields – to provide the learning and support services proposed under the Summer Provision education programme.